Our Only Hope
by Renamonkey
Summary: Scarlet and Mary are being hunted by something. They don't know what but they hope that the SPR team can help them figure it out and give it the boot out of their house. I really suck at summaries, the story is better, I promise.
1. Chapter 1

**Ok so this is a new story idea I've been thinking of for awhile. I'll try to keep the honorifics but I'm already have trouble understanding them. So please read and review, favorite and follow, all that fun stuff I wan to hear your input on my writing. **

**Disclaimer - I don't own anything except my OCs, Everything belongs to their respective owners.**

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**Our Only Hope**

_I ran through the forest nearby my house, my heart pounding and my breath coming in ragged gasps burning my throat with each breath. My follower was closing in fast, gaining speed with each step. The forest floor was getting more difficult to run across and the trees became closer together as if to stop any attempts of escape. I felt a body collide with mine forcing me to trip and stumble to the ground, my assailant stood above me in a plain white mask, its face emotionless and unreadable. I tried to move, boy did I want to move, but my body betrayed my commands and remained tense and still, totally unmoving. The figure made a move towards me, grabbing my arm with bruising force and causing me to scream. He dragged back towards the house, where other men with the same look appear to be surrounding an old wood shed. I'm forced into the shed and left in the dark while I hear the sounds of people screaming all around me, then I hear Mary, sweet little innocent Mary, screaming for help. As I try to reach her I'm pushed and shoved to the ground. When I finally reach her I see her dead body laying in front of the masked man who brought me here. He raises an old looking sword stained with blood._

My eyes shoot open as they always do right before 'm beheaded, I check around my room for any sign of the masked figure, to only see an old poster of my comic book hero, if only heros were real. I brushed a hand through my boy cut mucky brown hair, trying to calm my racing heart. Awkwardly laughing at myself when I looked at my clock to see that it was three in the morning.

"I'm not getting anymore sleep tonight, might as well do something productive." I whisper to myself as I pull out my laptop the was resting on a nearby table. As I reached over I noticed that a bruise had formed where the masked figure had grabbed me during my dream. As I'm examining my arm further and with the light on I realize the bruise is in the shape of a hand print. I jump out of my skin when I hear a loud high pitched scream come from my six year old sister, Mary's room, racing to see what her problem was, I tripped over something. I didn't bother checking what it was because Mary's screaming increased and were becoming more frequent. After struggling with my door for a few minutes, it just didn't want to open, as if someone or something didn't want me out of that room just yet. But I eventually made it into Mary's room, only to see the exact figure from my dream change into a white orb and fly past me.

Mary's screaming stopped instantly and she woke up crying. I launched myself onto the bed instantly grabbing her and checking her for any injuries, she had been covered in bruises and scratches from his last visit and nothing was different this time. Every Time I had one of those dreams he attacked the house, if he didn't hurt us we would find glasses and furniture broke and out of place, the next day. I tried to leave the house, but every time one of us would be dragged back towards it by some unknown force.

"Mary, do you have that bag I told you to get ready incase we have to leave and don't have time to pack?" I asked. I had her make a Bug out Bag when all this had started so if things got bad enough we could get out of here as soon as possible.

"Yes. Scarlet, are we going to leave?" She asked.

"Yeah we are. It's not safe for us anymore." I told her. I couldn't let her be in danger anymore. "Hey, I need you to be a big girl now, Okay. You need to do everything I say ok, even if that means leaving me here ok."

"But.."

"But nothing you need to do as I say ok. No buts." I explain gently. "Now we need to go to my room and grab my bag then we are going to go out through my window and into the city. Got it?" she nodded in reply. "Good now don't let go of my hand unless I tell you to."

I slowly open the door to her room and creep down the hallway, Slowly approaching the door to my room. It was open with the bright light streaming through the dark, entering I became extremely aware that the room had been more around, my bag was missing from it's permanent place next to my bed, and the window that I always kept open was closed shut. Searching for a couple minutes I realized that I wouldn't find my bag, I grabbed the bedsheet and broke the glass in the window, knowing full well that the window was lock and sealed. Whatever was in this house with us was organized and didn't want us to escape its grasp. I knew I would have to put up one hell of a fight to get mary out of here. Carefully I placed the six year old on the roof just outside my window, and lifted myself onto the glass covered windowsill something grabbed my ankle, and began pulling back into the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, It's me again. Here's the second chapter for Our Only Hope. Thanks to the person who left such a great review that help me out as I wrote this chapter. Please if you like my story so far Review, Follow, or Favourite, maybe even all three. I love to read what you guys think of my story. I'm going to try and update every Wednesday, if possible. Now on with the story. **

**Disclaimer- I don't own Ghost Hunt, only my OC.**

**Chapter 2**

Mary grabbed onto me and tried to pulled me out onto the roof beside her but she wasn't strong enough, our strength together wasn't strong enough. I was dragged across the window shards, cutting my back and arms, struggling to get away from the dark hand that gripped my leg tightly. Grabbing at anything that was within reach to throw at the hand, when it suddenly stopped pulling at me and let go altogether, with such speed it was as if my skin burn it.

I could feel blood leaking from my back and arms and I crawled backwards out the broken window. My shirt shredded and my pajama shorts torn in few places but remaining intact. I picked Mary up and bolted towards the garage roof, our exit, being the lowest point on the roof and being conveniently close to the tree line causing branches to hang over the roof. I kept looking around, checking for the ghostly hand, or the white mask that haunted my dreams.

"Mary I need you to grab onto the branch. Ok?" I told her. the scared girl nodded and reached up, gripping the branch as tightly as she could. I swiftly climbed up on to the branch so I was right next to her hands and pulled her into a crawling position. Leading her down the tree we were almost to the last branch when I heard a scream come from behind me. I turned just in time to catch Mary as she fell ontop of me, causing the branch to break. My heart jumped up into my throat as I rolled so I would land on my back with Mary landing on me. The impact on it's own would have knocked the wind out of me let alone another 60 pounds as Mary landed.

After gasping for air, I grabbed Mary's and limped away from the house watching it with both eyes as we made it far away and lost sight of it. Even though I was sure that thing whatever it was, hadn't followed us, the thought was still in my mind.

"Scarlet, I'm tired of walking can you carry me?" Mary asked so quietly. Only then did I really realize how long we had been walking, the sun shone brightly lightly the streets, the streets were beginning to fill with businesspeople and early morning joggers.

"Sure, hop onto my back and we'll go find somewhere to sleep for a bit." I replied. The young girl jumped onto my back and wrapped her arms around my neck. I winced as she rubbed my cuts when she jumped on and moved to adjust her but that made it worse. I began to limp towards the nearest hotel which happened to be across the street.

The hotel was a little outdated and rundown but it provided us with the main things we needed, beds, a bathroom to clean up in and safety. That thing never followed us the other times we've left but it was never as violent as it was last night. We looked horrible to say the least, Mary's beautiful chocolate brown locks were tangled with sticks and leaves from the fall, you could see the bruises that, that thing had left on her, through her thin sleep shirt and pajama pants. Yet she was the better off of us both, my short hair was tousled and sticking up at odd angles, my short sleeved shirt hung in tatters around my body loosely, I was thanking god that I chose tonight to wear a sports bra, my shorts were barely covering my underwear. My cuts clearly visible through the rips and were scabbing over, I mentally reminded myself that I had to clean those up later. My thoughts were drawn back to the manager at the front desk as she handed me two room keys.

I heard Mary's breathing become even and her constant fidgeting stop, signalling that she was asleep. I continued to carry her up to the room and cleaned her up, bandaging any of her scratches, and changing her into different clothes before putting her to bed.

Now I had to figure out how to clean and bandage my back, without any help. Stripping off my shirt I ran a bath of hot water that would clean all the blood off and any dirt. I just soaked until the water turned murky with all the filth that had covered my skin. Digging through the small first aid kit, I pulled out a rather large piece of gauze unfolding it to cover the majority of my wounds, placing it onto my back I wrapped it up around my shoulders with an old tensor bandage and then the rest with medical tape. After putting my torn clothes back on, I walked out into the main room where Mary was still sleeping.

Sifting through the bag we had, I found Mary's IPad, smiling, only she would think of luxury's like that when packing a bag like this, I quickly hooked it up to the wifi and searched for any information I could find on whatever has been attacking us, but more importantly who could get rid of it. I looked at the first ad that appeared on the screen, Shibuya Psychic Research. Quickly bookmarking it, I noted the address on to a nearby notepad, I replaced the IPad and reached to wake my sleeping sister it was about noon now and I didn't need to have her sleeping through the rest of the day.

"What do you want, Scarlet?" She growled. I giggled at her uncalled for anger, but sighed when she growled again.

"You need to wake up, I need to get some new clothes and then we're going to see if anyone can get rid of whatevers in the house." I explained, at the mention of shopping and meeting new people she jumped out of bed and grabbed her second pair of clothes that she had and threw them on. Within minutes we were out on the street looking for a thrift store where I could get some clothes for dirt cheap. A couple streets away from the research centre We found one, it was run by an elderly woman who instantly gave me a plain blue fitted tee shirt and a pair of dark skinny jeans, I also grabbed two sweaters one small enough for Mary and one large enough for me.

Altogether it cost about $10, and we looked as professional and any eighteen year old, and a six year old dual could. We walked to Shibuya Psychic Research with our heads held high and entered to be greeted by a sweet looking sixteen year old girl.

"Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research, do you have an appointment." She asks smiling.

"Well we don't have an appointment, but we would appreciate if we would be allowed to talk to your boss. Our matters are urgent." I replied faking a small smile as I was in pain from the scratches rubbing against the gauze and shirt.

"Please." Mary adds with a cute smile that wins everyone over.

"Well I'll just see if we have room to squeeze you in, sweetie." The girl smiles, " Please take a seat while you wait."

"Thank you." I replied. I visibly winced as I sat and leaned back in the chair. Then little Mary decided to sit on me that cause my breath to catch in my throat in pain. Soon enough the brunette was back and lead me and mary back behind the counter and into an room. The room was big enough to contain two regular couches, two arm chairs, around a small coffee table. Two men sat on the far couch at the other end of the table.

"Thank you to taking the time to see us, ." I said as I took a seat across from the two men. The older appeared to be engrossed with recording everything I said onto his laptop whereas the younger seemed to give his undivided attention to me. I froze slightly when I saw his face completely. He looked just like Eugene 'Euy' as Mary called him, but he went missing a long time ago. Blinking I recovered from my slight shock."I am Scarlet Pearce, and this is my little sister Mary."

"Euy?" Mary whispered as she looked up. Launching herself from my lap and and landing on the couch next to Mr. Shibuya with cat like speed and precision. "Is that you? Where were you?"

"Mary what are you doing? You have better manners than that, these people might help us if you would leave him alone." I growled at her as I moved to stop her from poking Mr. Shibuya's cheek. Then I whispered into her ear, "If you can sit nicely until I've finished talking to Mr. Shibuya, I'll take you for ice cream afterwards."

She pulled me back to my seat and pushed me back down as she sat back on my knee, ramming my back into the chair during the process. I grit my teeth, until the pain subsided, "Sorry about her. She meant no disrespect, she's just a little excited around new people."

"Anyway, if you could tell me the meaning of you coming here and what has been happening." Mr. Shibuya replied. With that I explained what was happening in the house, how we were unable to leave without being injured or dragged back in, I also told him the timing of each attack. Explaining that they always happened during or after I had one of those dreams, and each time both of us would be injured in the attack. When I finished all that was heard was the tapping of keyboard keys. The look of the man's face across from me was blank, almost like the masked man in my dreams, but it was obvious he was thinking. I could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he stared forward unmoving.

"We will need, two rooms for our team, and another room for a base. You can expect us in three days. Mai please get Miss Pearce's information and address." He said, then he walked out with the other man trailing behind him.

"Thank you very much sir." I called after him. He continued walking as if he ignored me, but oh well what can you do.

"Are you okay, Miss Pearce?" Mai asked.

"Please call me Scarlet, I should be good in a few days, My back was cut up pretty bad but it's nothing I can't handle. May I call you Mai, Miss? I have a feeling we are going to be talking a lot more during this case." I ask, she smiled as Mary started to tug my arm.

"Ok, I just need you address and your phone number so we can call to notify you when we will be arriving." She explained. I quickly scribbled down what she needed to know, pulling back against Marys strong grip. "That's everything I think we need. See you again soon."

"Thank you very much." I said as I let Mary pull me through the door. We went straight to the nearest Ice Cream parlour and used the rest of our money, only leaving enough for a taxi back to our house. I dreaded going back so soon after an attack but I knew that there would be lots to clean and not very much time in between attacks. Saying they were scattered and random was not entirely true, they would become predictable after a dream for about a week attacking every second day or so.

During that week I always sleep in the same room as Mary protecting her the best I can from the masked thing. Well by sleep I mean, I stay awake and watch for the masked thing while Mary sleeps nearby. The entire cab ride was filled with silence, and the air seemed to spark with anticipation, as we neared the house. After being paid the cab driver drove off, leaving us alone standing on the porch.


	3. Chapter 3

**I really didn't have anything to do today so here's chapter 3 one week ahead of schedule. Please Review, Follow, or favourite or even all three. Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own noting except my OCs. Everything goes to its respective owners.**

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**Chapter 3**

I slowly opened the door, pulling Mary close to my body as I did so, and began to enter slowly. Just in the entryway, the flowers that we had picked just two days ago were tossed onto the floor and their vase shattered. Slowly we moved into the living room, there our couch was pushed to the other side of the room, our small coffee table flipped and lying on it's tabletop. Then into the kitchen, pots and pans were everywhere, the floor was covered in utensils and all the knives that were hung up were imbedded in the nearby wall. Mary clutched closer to me, as we moved out of the kitchen and towards the stairs that lead up to our rooms.

The upstairs was freezing, all the windows had been opened, same with the doors. Though the windows were open a shadow seem to cover the hallway, the corners were shadowed, but I saw the mask clear as day against the dark background. Then in an instant it was gone.

"Ok, Mary we need to see what we need to do before the Shibuya research team comes. I'm just going to grab some nails and wood to board up my window. I'll be right back." I told her after I dropped her off in her room, the figure rarely attacked during the day and when he did it was always in the common areas, never in her room. I quickly walked out into the garage, grabbed everything I needed including a little bit of leftover plaster that we had from the last attack. As I turned I came face to face with the placid mask that haunted my dreams, I shuddered as I felt a finger tips brush across the top of my hand. Trying to move away slowly the fingers gripped my forearm tightly pulling me back towards the mask.

It uttered two words, that made my body shake even more. "You're Next." Then the face just disappeared, I looked down at my arm to see that I acquired another bruise in the shape of a hand. I grabbed the discarded materials that had been dropped when I saw the mask, and darn near sprinted back up to Mary's room. I was halfway up the stairs when I heard a scream. Not again, I thought. I reached the door, turning the knob and pushing but it didn't budge.

"Scarlet!" I heard Mary scream louder than before. It broke my heart to hear her in that much pain, I had to stop it.

"Mary! Mary are you okay! Open the door!" I shouted in a panic as I tried to open the door. I backed up and threw my shoulder into the door, but it still didn't budge. Mary's screaming suddenly stopped, that's when I moved to kick down the door, I stepped back lifting my leg so it was parallel to the door itself. Using all the force I could manage I pushed my leg into the door, It visibly weakened under the force but remained closed, so I kicked it again, throwing it opened. The open door revealed a seen that scared me more than anything, a dark shadow hung over Mary's still body, bruises formed over her as if she was being beaten by the shade. Long scratches traced up her arms and legs.

I lunged at the shadow that hung over Mary's still frame unmoving and obvious to my presence. I was wrong, I realized too late that it had turned and moved out of the way at an inhuman speed. I landed right next to Mary my body in between her and the shadow. The shade growled and disappeared through the wall leaving me alone with an unconscious Mary. Turning my back to when the shade had disappeared I examined my sisters injuries.

"Mary, you need to wake up! Come on open your eyes! Mary!" I shrieked, as I tried to wake her. After five minutes of shouting, my voice became creaky and ragged, I realized that she wasn't waking up. Reaching over to the phone that sat near her bed, I dialed 119. Croaking out our address, the operator told me that an ambulance would be here in about ten minutes. I hung up on her after she was finished talking, sitting there just watching Mary. I was terrified that she wouldn't wake up, and that her life was at risk.

Then I realized that I was the stupid one. How could I have been so dumb as to leave her alone here, she needed to be protected and I wasn't there. Now she's hurt and it's all my fault, my parents left me to protect her, and I can't ever keep her safe in our own home. I didn't even notice the fact that the EMT's had arrived and were checking Mary over until one of them tried talking to me.

"Mam, We need to get her to the hospital." He said. "Is there anyone you would like us to call."

"No. Just me." I said as they pulled her onto a stretcher. I followed them as they carried her down the stairs and into the back of the ambulance. The man who asked if he could call anyone held out a hand to help me into the back and onto the seat beside him. The ride there was quick, but I held onto Mary's hand the whole time. I held onto her until a nurse told me that I couldn't go any further. I stood in the middle of the hallway unmoving, staring at the door they took her through.

"You can stay in the waiting room until she's out, honey." The nurse said leading me towards the waiting room. "She'll be okay. Our best doctor is in there with her."

"This is all my fault. I shouldn't have left her, I should have been there." I muttered as I sat in the hard cushioned chair. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You may as well had hurt her yourself, you left her vulnerable. You should be in there not her, she shouldn't be in pain, you should. My thoughts attacked me as I waited. I couldn't stop them, my mind was racing and attacking itself.

As hours passed Mary was still in the room and nobody had news on her there with my head in my hands, I thought of happier times trying to ease my worries. I thought of the times when Eugene was around, he always found a way to make us smile. He was the one that helped us through our parents death, he helped us through the toughest time of our life. He stayed when others left us to fend for ourselves. I remembered that he was always smiling, he joked and played with Mary when she became too much for me to handle.

A smile slipped onto my face as I thought of how happy Mary was with him. Then my thoughts drifted again and back onto the current situation. Mary you aren't allowed to leave me, I can't live through that again. If there is a god out there, please don't take her from me. If you need to take someone take me, please I couldn't live without her here. I begged silently.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's Chapter 4, sorry about the late update but life interrupted my time to think. I promise that I'll try to update on time, but for now please read, review, follow and favorite.**

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**Chapter 4**

Tears began to fill my eyes, fear filled my heart making it heavy. I feared many things, I feared for Mary's life, I feared whatever attacked her, I feared Mary leaving me and I feared that Mary would be left permanently injured after what that thing did to her. I let the tears I had been holding in slip out and slide down my cheeks, leaving a wet trail down them as they dripped off my chin. I didn't bother to wipe them up, allowing them to drip onto my jeans. I silently cried, feeling my heart lighten slightly after I ran out of tears.

I quickly regained control over my emotions as the nurse from before returned. "You can go see her now, she won't wake up for a while yet. The Doctor found swelling in her brain, they put her in an induced coma to see it the pressure will go down on it's own, but with brain injuries you never know if they will come out ok. She had some deep cuts that needed stitches and some minor injuries."

"Ok, can you take me to her room." I ask jumping up and running towards her. She turned and started walking down the hallway. She opened the farthest door, stepping aside. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said. I nod and turn to face Mary. She looked in pain as she lay there, still and silent. The scratch on her face was bandaged, covering her left cheek, I knelt down and kissed her forehead.

"I'm so sorry, I never should have left you alone. It should be me here not you, you should be safe and happy, not like this, not here, not in pain." I whispered, resting my head on her hand. I felt the tears coming again and I didn't stop them, I couldn't stop them. I got up when the nurse came in hours later to tell me that visiting hours were over.

I didn't want to leave her side but the nurse had promised if there was any change in her condition they would call, so I gave in and left. It was dark by the time I got back to the house and I was frankly too tired to worry about whatever was in there with me. I had stopped caring for my personal safety and I wouldn't care until I knew for sure that, that thing leave Mary alone. I screamed when I saw the white mask that had haunted my dreams standing before me. The mask flew through my torso throwing me down the stairs, and into the wall at the bottom. Groaning I felt my body being pulled out of the house and onto the lawn. My vision suddenly went dark, when I felt something heavy collide with my head.

I woke up on the front lawn, my head resting on a rock. Sitting up I noticed a white van and two small cars were pulling down our driveway. Was I out for that long. I wondered. I slowly got up and walked over to greet the vehicles. The van pulled up first, then the other cars, The passenger door opened revealing Mr. Shibuya, Mai, and the man that never looked up for his laptop the whole time I was there. Four other people got out of the other two vehicles.

"Welcome to my home. Thank you for coming, Mr. Shibuya." I said to the teenager.

"Oh My Goodness, Scarlet you're bleeding. Are you alright?" Mai asked, looking at my forehead. I reached up touching my head, I felt something warm and as I pulled my hand away my fingertips were covered with red.

"Great, first it nearly kills Mary, now It's trying to kill me." I muttered barely loud enough for anyone to hear. "I'm fine Mai. It's nothing."

"Miss Pearce I would like to introduce you to my associates, Lin Koujo, John Brown, Houshou Takigawa, Ayako Matsuzaki, Masako Hara, and Mai Taniyama, but you guys seem to be well acquainted. " Mr. Shibuya said. "Where can we set up?"

"I'll show you to your rooms." I said. "Please pardon the mess, our resident 'thing' doesn't like the fact that I'm letting people here. I'm sure he's trying to kill us now." I muttered the last part.

"What did you say?" Takigawa asked, he must have heard the last part.

"My sister is in the hospital because of this thing, the doctor said there's swelling in her brain. She might never wake up, even if she does she might never be the same." I explained. "Then it attacked me again when I came home from the hospital, when the nurse on duty kicked me out. That was two days ago when we got home, and I literally just woke up on the lawn as you guys arrived so everything's as it was when it first attacked. These alone are reason enough for me to believe that it's trying to kill us."

As soon as I finished talking, Mai nearly tackled me, her tight embrace squeezed the air from my lungs. I looked for help from anyone in the group but none came, the majority of the group was shell shocked from my story. Mai finally let go and I gasped for the breath I lost, then Mr. Shibuya turned to Mai and said, "Mai, if you would leave Miss Pearce alone, I think she needs to be able to breath."

"Sorry about this," She said to me before she turned to face Mr. Shibuya, "Naru, do you even have a heart, or do you manage to function like a human without one. For once can you show the tiniest emotion, show your at least a bit human. How would you feel if you thought you were never going to talk to someone you love, never be able to tell them how you feel." She shouted at him. You could tell she had struck a nerve at some point because his shoulders tensed. Mai turned, moving to stand behind me, for some reason I felt like she was using me as a shield.

"Moving on, here is where you can set up base." I said opening the door to the second largest room in the house. "The rooms to the left and right are the other two rooms you asked for. If you need anything just call the house isn't that big I should be able to hear you."

"Thank you." The group replied. I turned and leaving them to sort themselves and get comfortable.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I remembered that I needed to tidy up the rest of the house. Thank goodness that thing had left those three rooms alone.I avoided the upstairs as long as I could, cleaning the living room and the entry way first. Just as I was leaving to clean the kitchen I ran into Mai.

"Hello, is there anything I can do for you?" I asked her.

"Well, Naru wants tea so can I use your kitchen to make some?" She asked.

"If you answer one question, why do you call him Naru?"

"Because he's a narcissistic fool."

"Follow me, I shall take you to the kitchen." I said in a funny voice, she giggled and followed. I opened the door, and walked in. The pots and pans were still scattered, the knives were still the the walls and the cutlery was still on the floor and counters. I grabbed a kettle off the floor quickly rinsed it and filled it with water. Mai stood at the door, staring around the room.

"Did the ghost do all this?" She asked.

"As far as I know yes but who knows there could be more than one." I said. "I've only seen one myself, but the thing that attacked Mary was something else." She took over the job of making tea when I started to pick up the pots and pans, putting them back in the cupboards. Next were the forks and spoons that weren't embedded in the walls, they were all replaced in their proper place. I didn't even try with the knives they stayed in the wall. Eventually they would fall out, and were left lying on the counter. "I'm going to clean up stairs now. Tell your team that they're welcome to anything that's in the cupboards and the fridge."

I heard Mai reply but the door had already closed, muffling the sounds. I walked up the stairs to find the hammer and nails on the top step. Great it did leave, I thought I grabbed the items and continued down the hall, I stopping to board up the broken window in my room. I finished the job quickly, leaving the room with a strange feeling. My next stop was Mary's room, I changed her bedsheets, and tidied her room up. The feeling only nagged at my mind the whole time I was in her room, when I left I realized real quick what my mind was worrying about. On the wall were two words written in plaster.

'You're Next'.

My heart leap into my throat as I reread those words. I heard a shuffling behind me as I tried to move but I couldn't. I felt cold hands pull me backwards into Mary's room, throwing me to the floor, the hands grabbed at my wrists pulling me towards the window. I tried to scream but I felt coldness around my mouth as if something was covering it, and no sound came. I panicked even more when I saw the window open, struggling harder, I fought against the hands that gripped me. Breaking free for the slightest second then being forced halfway out the hands let go of me when I was just hanging on to the ledge by my fingertips. I felt the coldness uncovered my lips and I screamed as if my life depended on it.

I heard footsteps running towards the door but the door wouldn't open. This thing is really trying to kill me isn't it, I thought. I felt one final pull on my feet and I lost grip just as the door caved in. I screamed as I fell to the ground from the second floor. I saw a body nearly half out the window as I fell reaching forward as if wishing they could catch me. I collided with something soft and warm before hitting the ground. I didn't realize it was a person until I heard it groan. "Oh My Goodness, I'm So Sorry." I muttered over and over again, to whatever I was currently laying on top of.

As quickly as I could I rolled off of the person to see who I landed on and if they were okay. I came face to face with a very stunned John Brown. He seemed to be ok, but then again I wasn't a doctor. I stood and helped him up, yep he was alright.

"Are you okay. I'm so sorry." I said again.

"Aye, I'm alright. Are you okay, what happened?"

"Well, now I'm sure it's trying to kill me. It pretty much threw me out the window, to put it simply." I turned around to see that the rest of the team had been rounded up and were coming towards us right now. Mai lead the pack, racing towards us.

"Are you guys, okay? What happened." She asked rushed. The rest of the group looked expectantly at me.

"Well I was just cleaning up Mary's room, when I walked out our little ghost left a message for me on the hallway wall. That's when it made it's move and pulled me into the room, blocking the door in the process, I broke free for a few seconds but not long enough to get anywhere or warn anyone. Then it threw me through the window, I barely got a chance to scream before I was left hanging, it was smart enough to realize that I wasn't going anywhere but down so it left me for a few seconds to hang. Then it heard one of you coming and trying to get in so it pulled me off. I landed on Mr. Brown here, who was unfortunate enough to be under me at the time." I rushed through. I was tired and needed to rest.

"What did the message say?" Naru, as I will start to refer to him as, asked.

"'You're Next.'" I replied, "It told me that for the first time right before Mary was attacked."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's Chapter 6. Please Review, Follow and Favourite.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OCs, everything else belongs to their respective owners.**

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**Chapter 6**

I shook myself back to normal and told the group that I was making dinner and they would be welcomed to join me at around six o'clock. Leaving them, I began to feel a little worried about them, what if that thing goes after them, or hurts them. I would never live with the guilt, I brought them here, I'm the main target to these attacks. I began to hum a tune as I cooked chicken and rice, it was finished in enough time that I was able to make dessert. At one point I needed a knife to cut the chicken into pieces. Using my body weight to my advantage I pulled the knife out with only a couple tries to loosen it.

Six o'clock rolled around the dining table was set for the group and I. Out of habit I set Mary a seat next to mine I only realized my mistake after everyone had been seated and were eating. I stared where Mary usually sat, missing her presence when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I look up to see Matsuzaki, looking down at me with caring eyes, then I made the mistake of looking around the table to see that everyone had stopped eating, and was looking at me.

"Well, I think I'm going to retire for the night feel free to help yourselves to anything you need." I said as I made my way towards the door. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You're 18 act like it. you need to come to grips with whats happened to you sister and what will happen to you if you don't. There's no one to pull you back out this time around. Eugene isn't here anymore.

Why did you have to leave, you idiot, were you seeking thrill again or did you just need to feel free. I pulled out a folded picture from my pocket, it captured my only genuine smile that wasn't for Mary. I stood beside Eugene Davis, my best friend, we were both covered with mud from head to toe. This was taken the day before he went missing. He did leave often without telling us where he would go but he wouldn't stay away for more than a week without calling us.

After our parents died I was barely able to function properly, I fell into a deep depression. I blamed myself for my parents death saying that if I hadn't snuck out they would be alive. I wasn't wrong, but they were killed by a drunk driver in a head on collision. The kid was going home after the party that I was at was over. I saw the kid get into his car and start to drive off, and I didn't stop him. I could have prevented that kid from even getting into that car but I didn't. I hadn't noticed where I was walking or even that I was outside until I had reached the small pond that was in our backyard. I sat on the bridge that crossed the center of the pond, staring at the water, it softly rippled, moving the lily pads that were on the silence out here was soothing and Instantly calmed me. When I came out here I would always feel at peace with everything, I felt that nothing could go wrong.

I walked back into the house to see that everything had been thrown all over the place. I honestly had given up on trying to clean up every little mess the ghost made. I walked straight through it, past the SPR team's base and their rooms, and down into my parents old room. I still smelled like them, nobody ever slept in this room, but I felt safer here than upstairs. I fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow. No dreams haunted me that night, but I felt that this wasn't over yet.

Morning came early when I heard a scream come from down the hall. I jolted out of bed and threw on my father's old housecoat, before running to see what had happened. The scream came from the kitchen, I burst through the doors to see the ghost had the knives and was moving towards a very scared Mai. Without think, I jumped into action hitting the knives with a nearby pan. I got the ghost's attention as it turned to face me, for the second time in three days the ghost passed through me knocking me into the nearby shelf and disappeared.

"Mai, are you alright. It didn't hurt you did it?" I asked, rushing over to check for any visible injuries. The rest of her team had arrived and were standing in the doorway shocked.

"I'm alright. You stopped it before it could do anything." She replied quietly. "Why did you do that? It could have hurt you more than it already has."

"I'm not letting it hurt someone that I brought here. It's after me and Mary not you, or the others." I explained, pulling her into a hug that she obviously needed. Someone from the group cleared their throat, obviously wanting an explanation to what happened to their assistant and why I was here with her thanking me.

"I heard a scream, so I wanted to see what happened. I came into the kitchen to find that the ghost had dug a few knives out of the wall and was moving towards Mai. I knocked them out of the air before it could do anything. Then it left." I explained. "I'm sorry for putting your team in danger. I understand if you want to leave."

"No! Naru don't even think about leaving. Just push that thought out of your head, she needs our help." Mai burst out, glaring at her boss.

Smirking Naru replied, "Well that answers that. Thank you for helping Mai, I don't need a teammate injured."

"Anything I can do to help. Do you have any ideas to what's been attacking us?" I asked. They all looked to Naru, seeing if he had it figured out yet or not. His face remained blank and deep in thought. They obviously had nothing, but I waited as he thought.

"This case is becoming more difficult as the attacks become more frequent." He said. I nodded, Great they had nothing.

"Well, I'm going to go and visit my sister and see if anything has changed. I'll leave my cellphone number, by the phone incase you need to get a hold of me. I should be back by one, help yourself to anything you guys need. Don't be afraid to call if you need anything." I said as I turned towards the door. Takigawa and John move to make way for me to leave. I quickly ran upstairs to my room grabbing clothes and getting back to the main floor. I went back into my parents room, showered and dressed. Nothing had been touched since they died and my mother had left her cross necklace on the edge of the sink. I pulled it on, the cross itself rested just under my collar bone. Grabbing the picture of Eugene and I, I put it into my pocket and walked out of the room. Calling a cab, I waited at the end of our driveway for the cab to arrive.

Unfolding the photo I started it, I looked so happy. Eugene had convinced us to go the the local playground. It started to rain and we were soaking wet but Eugene convinced us to keep playing tag, I ran after him with Mary on my shoulders. By the end we were soaked to the bone and covered in mud but we didn't care. Mary had walked ahead of us and was waiting outside the house with the Camera. We posed for her and smiled, our mud coated selves laughing and joking as we hosed ourselves off outside. I smiled at the memory.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Who's in the picture, with you." I heard a voice over my shoulder. I jumped I hadn't even noticed someone was behind me. I turned my head to the side to see John brown.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Not long, I just saw you standing here alone and thought you might like some company." He replied.

"An old friend that went missing a long time ago. He helped me through a lot of stuff and this was taken the last time I saw him. He had the tendency to run off and not tell tell us where he was going, but we knew that he would always call if he would be gone for more than a week, but this time he never did." I told him. "He looks a lot like Mr. Shibuya, but his name was Eugene Davis."

"You mean the famous Eugene Davis from Europe."

"Who?"

"He's a famous Psychic researcher in Europe. He was said to be the perfect Medium." John said. I nodded understanding, I put the photo away.

"I tried to search for him, but he just seemed to disappear off the face of the earth, well Japan anyway. I left Mary with some friends for a month and drove everywhere I thought he would go to get a thrill, or just to find a little peace and quiet. I drove around the whole country, looking for him but he seemed to disappear. Then this haunting started to happen, Mary and I are never going to get a stroke of good luck are we." I said. "All I tried to do was protect her, and now she's in the hospital. What a great sister I am."

"Hey, don't talk like that I'm sure you are a wonderful sister. God works in mysterious ways. He has a plan for you, I'm sure of it." He said, turning me towards him looking me dead in the eye. Boy, was he handsome. I heard the cab pull up behind me, I turned and entered the car. I smiled and waved to the young priest, as I drove to the hospital.

I walked straight up to Mary's room, and sat by her bed. I talked to her for hours about what was happening in the house, how much I worried for her, and everything in between. I looked at my watch to see that I was going to be late home meaning that I would have to make a quick stop at a fast food place before getting home. I grabbed a dozen burgers and brought them back to the house with me.

"I'm home, and I come bearing the gift of food." I called down the hall. Nobody moved so I left the food in the kitchen with a note on the bag that read. '_Here's dinner,enjoy! -Scarlet' _I walked into my room and tried to find my backpack. It was buried underneath my dresser, how the ghost managed to move that without me noticing it, I will never know. I pulled the bag up from under the dresser, pulling the dresser forward and leaning it towards me. The dresser came down on top of me, squishing me under it's weight. Twisting my arms so I could push it forward and off of me, I had it high enough to get my upper body out from under it when my hands slipped. It landed on my stomach just as I tried to move it off of me. Wiggling and twisting I got the dresser off my torso and thigh. I could feel my knees bending in a way that they weren't supposed to, quickly I pulled my left leg free, I was unaware that I was being watched from a dark corner of the room until I heard footsteps running towards me.

"Miss Pearce are you ok?" Takigawa asked.

"It's Scarlet, and I'm fine. Why?" I asked as I pulled my right leg out from under the dresser. My question went unanswered as the shade that attacked Mary sped toward me. The shadow grabbed my throat and threw me against the wall, denting it. I clawed at the invisible hand that gripped my throat, gasping my vision started to darken as I heard Takigawa chanted something that scared it away for the time being, I dropped to the ground. As my head collided with the carpeting in my room everything went black.

_I ran through the forest nearby my house, my heart pounding and my breath coming in ragged gasps burning my throat with each breath. My follower was closing in fast, gaining speed with each step. The forest floor was getting more difficult to run across and the trees became closer together as if to stop any attempts of escape. I felt a body collide with mine forcing me to trip and stumble to the ground, my assailant stood above me in a plain white mask, its face emotionless and unreadable. I tried to move, boy did I want to move, but my body betrayed my commands and remained tense and still, totally unmoving. The figure made a move towards me, grabbing my arm with bruising force and causing me to scream. He dragged back towards the house, where other men with the same look appear to be surrounding an old wood shed. I'm forced into the shed and left in the dark while I hear the sounds of people screaming all around me, then I hear Mary, sweet little innocent Mary, screaming for help. As I try to reach her I'm pushed and shoved to the ground. When I finally reach her I see her dead body laying in front of the masked man who brought me here. He raises an old looking sword stained with blood, swinging it down towards my neck. _

I bolt straight up, instantly regretting it as a wave of nausea swept over me. I was back in my room.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey I was really bored over the weekend so here's a chapter early. I really would love more input from the readers on what I could improve on since I'm still trying to figure out this writing this. If I'm doing good then great I still would like to hear from you guys, so please Review, Favourite or Follow. Heck do all three if you haven't already. I will still be entering a chapter in on Wednesday on schedule. Enough of my blabbering and her is chapter 8, Enjoy :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but my OCs. **

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**Chapter 8**

My neck ached and began to get stiff as I left the room. I stumbled slightly and held the wall for support as I walked straight to the bathroom and looked at my neck. Two hand shaped bruises circled it, but as I looked closer I saw a small scratch that went all the way around my throat. My eyes widened in shock and fear, I don't remember feeling it scratch me, maybe it was just a figment of my imagination. I turned and left the bathroom, watching all the corners of the room, I was just getting ready to go to bed when I heard a knock at the door. I quickly put my housecoat on and walked out the door, coming face to face with John brown.

"Hello, Mr. Brown what is it you are needing." I asked politely.

"Mr. Shibuya wants to talk to you for a little bit, Miss Pearce." He replied.

"Please, just call me Scarlet. Where would he like to talk to me."

"In the base, if you wouldn't mind." He said. He turned, leading me back into the base. He opened the door then closed it behind me. This isn't sketchy at all, I thought as I reached into my pocket instinctively, reaching for my photo but it wasn't there. It was still sitting on the bathroom sink folded. Pulling my hand out of my pocket I rubbed the cross that hung at my neck.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"I was wondering if you could tell me about your dream." He asked.

"Well, I'm running through the forest outside the house, something's chasing me. It tackles me to the ground, I see a white mask that shows no emotions. The masked figure drags me past my house and into an old wood shed. The room I'm thrown into is pitch black I can't see anything, then I hear screaming, so many people screaming, Mary screaming for me among the others. I try to find her but there's something that doesn't want me to move, and keeps tripping me. Her screams stop before I reach her but when I do She's laying still on the ground bleeding in front of the masked figure. He raises a sword that he had in his hands and brings it down on my neck. The dream always ends before I die, but every night I have that dream, myself or Mary are attacked." I explain, by the end I was shaking slightly.

"Is this wood shed still in the back yard?" He asked.

I shook my head, "No my parents had landscaping done right before they died. The old shed was destroyed, but there's a tiny, old cabin back in the woods a little ways away. Is there anything else you wanted to ask."

"No, thank you for your cooperation." I turned and left as he went back to work. I walked back to my room, shaking slightly. As soon as I closed the door my world seemed to crash down on me, I slid down the back of the door shaking uncontrollably. Tears leaked from my eyes as I placed my head in my hands, I looked up as I thought I saw something move. Nothing was there, great now you're losing your mind. I let the stress take over for a few minutes and now I'm losing it.

I got up and walked into the bathroom, turning the tap on. I needed something to stop my mind from wandering too far from where it needed to be I focused on the sound of the water running through the tap and into the tub. Then I focused on not drowning in the tub filled with water, but my thoughts always drifted back to Mary. Dunking my head under water I tried to drown out those thoughts. She would make it out of this alive. Yet doubt still nested deep in the back on my mind.I slowly made my way in to bed trying to block all thoughts out of my head. Sitting in the dark I tried to Meditate and calm my nerves but nothing was working, I didn't try to sleep, I knew that after just talking about my dream I wouldn't be able to.

At around three am my cell phone rang, I rushed for it checking the number, it was the hospital. "Hello? What happened."

"Mam, the swelling in you sisters brain didn't go down. Doctors are prepping her for surgery right now to relive it but there are certain risks that are involved." The woman said. My heart sank immediately, I knew what the risk that she was talking about was. This surgery could kill her, but she would definitely die without this surgery.

"Okay, go ahead with the surgery. Please call me the minute she's out of surgery." I said. Hanging up the phone, I collected myself slightly and left the house. I walked into the trees looking for my sanctuary, it was just on the other side of the trees. I could see the house from the hill but they couldn't hear me and I wouldn't disturb them. Sitting down I pulled my knees to my chest, and wrapped my arms around them. I started to sobbing into my knees, Why her, why not me. I thought over and over in my head. It's my fault she got hurt all my fault and now she's going to die because of me.

I felt a hand touch my back, I didn't care if that thing killed me now I didn't even flinch, but there was something different about this hand. It wasn't cold and dead, it was warm but still. I turned to come face to face with Eugene, wait, Naru. I couldn't tell, I didn't care which one it was I needed to be alone. I got up and moved back towards the edge of the woods. I stopped staring in between the branches, Mary used to run through these trees when she was learning to walk. Memories flooded into my brain as I stood there staring at nothing, my eyes unfocused and unmoving.

I'm back when Mary was first brought home, I loved her the second I saw her. She was always a smiling baby, only crying when she needed something. Fast forward to when she took her first steps, and her first day of school. She was supposed to go be starting her second year this september. I was then watching our first meeting with Eugene, we looked so happy, then our last day before he left. I was jolted out of my mind as I heard something snap a branch. Whipping around I saw that Naru was standing right beside me.

"Have you ever lost someone you loved?" I asked him.

"Yes." He replied. I looked up at him, he didn't seem like a person who was suffering, the loss of someone close.

"Does the pain ever stop?" I asked.

"I don't know yet. It's been a year, nothings changed for me." He said, face still void of emotion.

"Mary's going into surgery, she might not make it. All because I was stupid and left her alone in that house. I was supposed to keep her safe." I whispered to myself more than to him. I have no idea why he was still here, anyway. The sun was beginning to rise, meaning it was at least 5 am. "Shouldn't you be getting back to your team, won't they worry."

"No. Not unless you are planning to come back with me. Don't forget that you are being hunted by a ghost, that has made it clear it wants to kill you."

"Do you think I really care about that right now? I don't care if I die, I'm more concerned about Mary, my little sister, I got her into the bloody mess and now there's a chance she will never wake up. I did that too her, she wouldn't be in the hospital if I had been there." I shouted. "She needed me and I wasn't there." I whispered.

I walked back to the house, before he could reply I was halfway through the forest. I made my way into the house and into the kitchen as quietly as possible. The knives were still hanging out of the wall, so I moved around them to start a pot of tea. After the tea was made I sat on my bed, staring at my cellphone. I sat there for hours on end, and nobody disturbed me. Finally my phone rang at six pm. I jumped for it, answering it immediately. "How is she."


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's chapter 9 I'm sorry it's really short but I will also post chapter ten today. Please Review, Favourite and follow. **

**Disclaimer" I own nothing except for my OCs.**

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**Chapter 9 **

"She made it through surgery, the next 24 hours she will be under constant watch." The nurse said. I dropped the phone and ran through the house grabbing my coat and throwing my runners on. I sprinted past the SPR's base almost trampling over Mai as I raced out the door. I ran to the hospital and was there in no time. I ran straight up to the main desk and asked if I could see Mary Pearce. She told me what room she was in and I was gone.

I only slowed for a few seconds to read the room numbers, until I found the right room. I screech to a halt right outside the door and entered quietly. Mary's head was bandaged and covered, an I.V stuck in her arm. She looked so fragile, I was afraid to touch her she was so still, it was unnatural for her, even when she was sleeping, she tossed and turned. She never stayed in the same position for more than fifteen minutes.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. I didn't leave her side until she woke up, six hours later. The doctors swarmed her kicking me out of the room to have a conversation with me. They were still watching for swelling, and explained to me that if that happened there would be nothing they could do for her. I understood everything they told me, I walked back into the room doing my best to look happy and not make her scared.

"Scarlet! what happened to your neck?" She asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about, you need to focus on getting better. You need to rest up okay? you can't come home with me until your healthy." I smiled. "Here I want you to have these okay? Keep them with you and remember that you are never alone, we will always be with you where it counts." I said putting mom's necklace on her and giving her the photo of Me and Eugene.

"But you always have this picture won't you miss it." She asked.

"No, you keep it. It'll keep you safe. Remind you that we love you a whole lot, okay?"

"Okay." She smiled. "I love you and Euy much more."

I smiled as she fell back asleep, then I heard a solid beep come from the monitors. No! I ran out into the hallway yelling for help, the solid ring of the machine echoing in my ears. Mary don't you dare leave me, not you too. I prayed to any and all the gods that were out there to take me instead and leave her alone. A nurse pulled me out of the room so the doctors could work on reviving her, but nothing happened. Continuing to try for the remaining hour, I stared in horror as the doctor stopped CPR, a nearby nurse telling him the time. The doctor then pulled the blanket over Mary's head, I dropped to my knees as the doctors began filing out of the room.

I couldn't cry, no tears would come,I sat on the floor stunned by what just happened she was soo happy. Then like the flame on a candle her light blew out in a single breath. I stood, my face void of emotions, entering the room I moved towards her bed. It was too still, no movement came from her as i wished it would. Leaning down I gave her one last kiss on the forehead.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

When I got back to the house I was too weak to answer any questions I walked straight through the house and out to my sanctuary. When I arrived i dropped to my knees for the second time that day, laying on my back I let the reality of what happened sink in. Dread and sorrow slowly seeped their way into my core, the feeling horribly familiar and frightening. I had nothing left to live for, no one was there for me and I had no one to protect anymore. flinching as I heard movement behind me, "You know, everyone I've loved is dead or gone now and I think I'm losing my mind. I see them, my parents, my sister, my friends, I see them in things that remind me of how they left. Whenever I drive I see my parents, whenever I see a couple or friends walking down the street I think my friend," I stopped taking a deep breath, "And now, I see Mary. I see her everywhere."

"I see the same thing, my brother went missing down here, that's why I came down here in the first place." He said. I stood shocked that's why he was so tense when Mai yelled at him the other day. Soon he turned and left me alone in silence, leaving me and my depression to sink in.

After he left I felt a strange presence near me, the shade that killed my sister stood across the field. I glared at it before it disappeared. I heard a scream in the distance that caused me to race to to problem. Mai was dangling from a branch high above the ground, the branch bent dangerously almost breaking as she gently swayed in the wind. I saw the masked figure and the shade that killed Mary standing above her, the shade pulling her fingers loose one at a time, Mai suddenly dropped and I rushed forward. Diving under the falling girl, we collided and I stopped her fall. I groaned as she rolled off my back, I frantically searched for the figure or shade but I didn't find anything.

"Are you okay, Mai?" I asked as she stood, I crouched to my feet beside her after catching my breath.

"I think so, were those the ghost that were attacking you and Mary?"

"Ya, I'm glad you're okay." I said dusting some dirt off of my pants, "Why were you alone out here, anyway? I thought you were back at the house with the others."

"I was, but when Naru came back alone, I got worried. So I thought I would see if you wanted company. No one wants to be alone after someone you love dies." I smiled and hugged her, she was so nice and didn't even try.

"You know you remind me of her a lot. You're always smiling, and looking on the bright side. Caring about others before yourself." I said. "Let's get you back to the house before they rest of them begin to wonder where you are."

"Good Idea." She agreed and began to run, calling behind to me, "Race you there." I smiled and began to run to catch up with her, I still felt like someone was watching but it didn't bother me at the moment, I focused on beating Mai. I failed miserably but at least I could see her the whole time.

"Wow, you're fast. How did you do that?" I smiled as she blushed,"There's nothing to be shy about, it's a good thing." Before she could answer, I pushed her towards the house, I saw the shade from before standing along the edge of the trees.

"What was that for?"

"Mai go to the house and get the others."

"But.."

"Now, Mai!" I shouted. It moved towards me, I had to protect Mai and give her time to get the others, so I rushed at it, colliding head on. I was thrown into a nearby tree, causing me to grunt in pain. It attacked again this time I ran, watching how close the shade was, around lawn ornaments that scattered across our yard soon the masked figure joined the chase. I tripped on a stray gnome, rolling into the dirt, both the shade and the figure grabbed me and dragged me towards the woods.

Screaming as the house became smaller and blocked by more and more trees, I saw Naru and Takigawa run out of the door after me, the rest of the group close behind them. I reach one final time before I'm carried downstairs and into a cell like room. It was pitch black in the room, and dead silent. The thick Iron door slammed shut after I was thrown into it muffled any sounds of my rescue. I looked for the door but I couldn't see anything, feeling around the soil beneath me was wet with something and a horrible smell filled the air.

I heard loud screams surround me, they got louder and louder until they seemed to be right beside me. Covering my ears I curling into the fetal position, trying to dull the they stopped as quickly as they started, leaving only one voice to be heard among the silence.

"Scarlet! Scarlet, Help Me!" The voice called. It was Mary, but she was dead. It didn't matter she needed me and I would not fail her this time. I pushed the forces that were keeping me on the spot away, then I ran towards the voice. The voice stopped with one final scream, and I was pushed down again, this time a hand pulled my head back by my hair. This time it was me who screamed, I heard a banging against the metal of the door and hoped it would open soon. The masked swordsman moved towards me holding the sword high above it's head, swinging it downwards towards me. I rolled to avoid the sword and jumped when it swung from a lower level. This pattern continued for a long time, when it zigged I zagged. The adrenaline was keeping me going, but even it was losing it's affect, my body slowed down it began getting harder and harder to avoid the blade. I zigged when I should have zagged catching arm on his blade.

That's when the shade joined in, he attacked me from the back holding my arms behind my back, and pulling me to the ground. Twisting my now bleeding arm, it forced me to lean forward so the masked figure could cut my neck easily. Once again my body heated up I tried to lift my head but the shade wouldn't let me. I closed my eyes waiting for death to come, when the door was kicked in with a loud crash revealing the SPR team, but they were too late, the masked swordsman swung the sword. I felt a weight collide with my body throwing me across the room and into something else. Then I heard Takigawa's chanting begin again, then Matsuzaki's and Mai's voices were heard, chanting a different one.

I rolled off of whoever moved me, kneeling beside them. I came face to face with John, _wow he was cute, Scarlet stop ogling and get off him,_ I thought as I stood slowly helping him to his feet.

"Why is it everytime we meet I land on you?" I asked him. "Why'd you do that, It could've hurt you."

"I didn't. When we got into the room, you were thrown by something out of the way." He replied. I turned to the rest of the group sending them a small smile, then my legs began to shake again. I felt my knees give out and I began to fall, when someone caught me. All my adrenaline was gone, the effects worn off leaving me, suffering extreme exhaustion. My body was beginning to shut down and I could feel it. I looked around, not sure what I was looking for but I saw Mary. She shone brightly and said to me, "I'm safe, don't blame yourself for what happened. We all love you, and are watching you from above."

She kissed my forehead and disappeared. Suddenly my exhaustion was gone I regained my footing but remained holding on to john, the one who caught me, just in case. "Goodbye Mary." I whispered as her light disappeared.

Masako, moved towards me, and hugged me. I stood awkwardly for a few seconds, I definitely didn't expect that she of all people would be hugging me, but when she didn't let go I relaxed into the hug and hugged her back slightly. The rest of the group just sort of stood awkwardly as they watched. I swayed as she released me from the hug, a small amount of blood from my arm had rubbed on her kimono. Gazing down I found that my arm was still bleeding.

"Damn it." I muttered.

"What?" Mai asked oblivious to the blood.

"Mai, if you would pay attention, Miss Pearce is bleeding." Naru said.

"Hey, there is no need to be rude. She just didn't noticed there was other things that were more important." I snapped. I let go of John and began to move to the door, most of my strength was back in my legs. My shirt was torn in so many places I wouldn't be able to wear it again anyway so I ripped a chunk off and tied it around my arm. I reached the door when I heard the rest of the group follow me. At least they knew where they had to exorcise now and that thing could be gone.

Matsuzaki had ran to catch up with me and we walked in silence until she asked, "May I look at your arm when we get back to the house. I'm trained in first aid and you don't want it to get infected."

"Sure, go ahead." I replied. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you want to know?" She said as we walked to get the first aid kit.

"Well I have two questions. First, does Mr. Shibuya have a brother, and second do you have any idea of what threw me out of the way."

"In all honesty you would be better off to ask Lin your first question. Naru doesn't really take about his family or anything personal that is. For your second question, no but I think you might have someone from the other side watching over you. I've never seen it happen before but it might've also been one of the victims before. For now our first priority will be exorcising those ghosts." She said as she finished tying a knot in the gauze that wrapped around my cut.

"Thank you. I'm going up to Mary's room for a bit. See you later." I said as I left the room. I hung my head as I walked up the stairs and entered Mary's pink room, closing the door behind me. Standing in the doorway I looked at everything my eyes never stopped moving, until I found a picture laying on the bed. That wasn't there when I cleaned up, I thought. Walking slowly over to her bed I sat down looking to see what the was of. It was a picture of Mary and Eugene, both of them smiling brightly, I must have taken it the same day as Mary took the other picture. Both faces were covered in mud, Marys head resting on the top of Eugene's, her feet dangling over his shoulders.

I missed them both so much already it was unbelieveable. I curled up with the picture clutched to my chest, crying silently as I fell asleep. _I ran chasing Eugene with Mary on my back, she giggled as I ran faster and faster. I chased him through a forest, dodging trees and jumping over roots, I put Mary down as the scene changed. We stood in front of an old building it was a little run down but still standing and functioning. The area we were in was familiar, I've been here before but I can't remember when. Eugene turned smiling at me, "Come and find me." _

"_But where are you?" I asked. They appeared across the street and I ran through the vehicles, until I tripped. I came eye to eye with the headlights of a semi. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey, here's chapter 11, please Review, Favorite or follow. **

**Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but my** OCs.

* * *

**Chapter 11**

I woke up gasping for air, damn it, it was just a dream. I sighed as I thought about what Eugene said. I had to at least look put together on the outside, I thought as I took one last look around Mary's room, before getting up and leaving, closing the door behind me. I still carried the photo, I changed clothes, putting it in my jeans pocket. Looking around my room I found the necklace I was looking for, on it were two charms, each charm had an initial on it, E, and M. Mary had made them for us, Eugene, herself, and me, she told us as long as we wore them, we would always be together.

Mary was always finding ways for Eugene to remember us by, she was always worried that he would just forget about us one day on his trips. She had waited on the porch every day for months after he went missing. She still did, on the anniversary of his disappearance every month. Wiping a stray tear that managed to escape, before I left my room. I smiled as I closed the door, putting up my walls as not to break down in front of these people.

"Good morning." Mai greeted as I came down the stairs, "Would you like some tea, I brought an extra cup."

"No thank you." I smiled back at her. I went to sit in the living room with my laptop, arranging Mary's funeral. The service itself would be held in a couple days, she would be buried along side our parents. After everything was handled, I pulled the picture out of my pocket. I just stared at it for the longest time, and thought about what he said. We first met a in front of an old factory that I often passed going into town. I heard footsteps behind me, but I couldn't look away from the picture.

"When and where was that picture taken?" Naru's voice demanded.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just tell me."

"Not until you tell me the reason you want to know." I felt like I needed the information. He grabbed my arm, pulling me up and out of the room.

"That's my brother." He said, his mask dropping, "Please tell me."

"It was taken here, a little under a year ago." I said, His face visibly dropped. "I'm sorry, if I would've known I would have told you sooner."

"How could you have not know, we're twins, identical twins!" He shouted, I flinched and backed away slightly.

"God, I'm such an Idiot. Mary called it, I never listen to her." I mumbled, Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! "Where were you looking for him?"

"Everywhere, there are only so many places he would go."

"Any old buildings?" I asked recalling my dream.

"No, why?"

"Damn we've both been looking in the wrong places."

"What do you mean?" He asked I could tell he was getting confused.

"I just have a feeling." I said, turning the photo out towards him I asked, "Do you want to look at the photo."

He reached out and grabbed the photo, immediately tensing, He still totally still for about five minutes. I turned back to him, letting go of the photo I waved a hand in front of his face. His eyes were unfocused, as if he was watching something. suddenly he shook his head, his eyes focusing again but now they were watching me.

"What was that?" I asked him slightly worried.

"Nothing, How long was he here with you guys?"

"Nothing my arse. What just happened, you better not lie because you won't get anything out of me until you tell me."

"..."

"You're making this harder for yourself, just tell me, and I'll answer all your questions."

"..."

"Nothing? Ok, I'm going back out to the living room. Tell me when you're going to get off your high horse and tell me what happened." I said as I turned, walking out the door. I returned to the living room, it was still filled with the rest of the group still shocked by their bosses sudden out burst. I smiled at them as I asked, "Did the exorcisms go well? No one was injured or anything?"

"Yes, hopefully your case is settled but we will have to stay overnight to make sure, the spirits are gone for sure." John answered.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it. It gives me peace of mind." I said smiling slightly bigger. Grabbing the discarded laptop, I returned it to my room and charged it. Laying on my bed I stared at the picture, we were so happy together and now I'm alone. I rubbed the charms on my necklace, feeling tears well up in my eyes, the charms gave me a strange comfort as if they were both still here with me. Rolling over I sucummed to the sleep that had begun to seep into my body.

_I ran chasing Eugene with Mary on my back, she giggled as I ran faster and faster. I chased him through a forest, dodging trees and jumping over roots, I put Mary down as the scene changed. We stood in front of an old building it was a little run down but still standing and functioning. The area we were in was familiar, I've been here before but I can't remember when. Eugene turned smiling at me, "Come and find me." _

"_But where are you?" I asked. They appeared across the street and I ran through the vehicles, until I tripped. I came eye to eye with the headlights of a semi. _My eyes snapped open right before I was hit by the truck, just like the night before. I thought about where I had seen the building before, I remembered it but only slightly, a fleeting thought among all the stress I was being put through.

I left the room and went to the kitchen where I made a pot of coffee. When it was done I put a kettle on incase anyone came in for tea, while I sat and stared the far wall, drinking the bitter substance and thinking about the dream. Unfortunately I wasn't paying very much attention to what was going on around, not hearing John enter the kitchen and prepare himself a cup of tea and jumped when he stood next to me.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." He said.

"No, it's my fault. I wasn't paying attention. How are you this morning?" I replied awkwardly.

"I'm fine thank you, and you?"

"You know not as good as I look to be but not as bad as people think."

"What do you mean?"

"I look put together and not broken, but at the same time people know it's just a mask. I reacted the same way when my parents passed, they think know I'm never going to be the same and they expect me to move on as they do, but it's not that easy. I'm never going to be okay with what happened but I will eventually come to terms with the fact that they are never coming back." I explain quietly, by the time I reached the last sentence my voice was on the verge of breaking. Looking away from John I felt a single tear slip from my eye, quickly brushing it away I turned completely away from him. "I don't know why I'm telling you this. These are my issues, and I don't need to drag you down with me. I'm sorry, please excuse me."

I rushed out of the room, leaving a stunned john in my wake as I moved to stand outside on the porch. The breeze brushed through my hair, ruffling my loose button up shirt as I allowed hot tears to streak down my face. Drying them quickly as I heard footsteps on the wooden deck move towards me, I hid my face from whoever had decided to make a sudden visit to the porch. I was about to leave when I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder, I turned to meet a pair of baby blue eyes that seemed to look straight into my soul. I tried to force myself to look away but I couldn't, "Why did you follow me?"

"You were upset about what happened and there was no reason to be. You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, what you were doing was good for the grieving process you were talking to someone about how you felt. It's better to talk and share how you feel than to say nothing and suffer alone. It's not healthy." John said.

"I've done it all my life. I can't change now I have nothing I can't do anymore good in this world, I only seem to make it worse." I mumbled, finally tearing myself out of his gaze. I had turned my back to him again but he moved so he stood right in front of me. I whipped around and walked off but before I got far John gently grabbed my arm again, preventing me from going any where and forcing me to look back at him. I tried to glare and pull my arm out of his grasp but his eyes met mine once again and I froze.

"You do good in this world, all of us do. No one person causes only bad, they just tend to be part of a greater picture, and that greater picture ends up being the best thing that could ever happen to someone. Please don't say that you only make things worse, because you don't." He said. I was about to argue with him when he let go of my arm and left.

"Thank you but you're wrong. I am the point where people change, where life get worse for them and nothing gets better for a long time after that." I say to the retreating figure, he was already opening the door when I spoke, stalling for only a second considering what I said before entering the house, and returning to the team. "I'm the point where everything get worse, never better only worse."

I walked out into the yard, the damage from the last attack still remained, a broken lawn gnome lay shattered not ten feet away from me, patches of grass that was torn up from where I had attempted to pull myself free from the ghosts. I stopped in front of the tree line, I could see the old cabin in the distance, where I had last saw my sister, where I heard her scream for the last time, and where she told me she was happy and safe. I crossed my legs and sat down facing the cabin, the wind picked up brushing through my hair and twisting my shirt.

Closing my eyes I listened to the calming rustle of the wind through the leaves, a distant bird chirping, then I heard something that I thought I would never heard again, Mary's laugh. The laugh travelled through the wind and danced around me, afraid to open my eyes I smiled gently as the laugh continued to dance around. When the wind stopped so did the laughing, sighing I remained still, hoping that the laugh would return. I waited in silence until I heard a vehicle starting around the front of the house, slowly standing I turned and made my way to the front yard and was greeted by a frustrated Mai carrying a box that look to be bigger than she could carry. I rushed to help her before she toppled over, and made it just in time before the box slipped from her it I felt that the box was relatively heavy but lighter than I thought, "Here, let me help you."

"Thank you, Naru would have my head if I broke something." she replied, "But you don't have to carry it for me, I can handle it. The Van's just over there."

"It's fine." I replied, pulling the box farther away from the girl. She told me where the box needed to go and that she was going back in to get another box. I placed the box where I was told I was meant to go and as I turned I came face to face with familiar blue eyes. "Hey."

"Hey. I'm sorry about how I reacted earlier, it was very unprofessional." Was his reply.

"It's okay, Mr. Brown."

"Please call me John. If you ever need someone to talk to you can call me, here's my number. Call any time." He said handing me a small slip of paper. I smiled as I took the paper, "Thank you, we should get together sometime have coffee or something."

"It would be my pleasure. I'd better go now or Mr Shibuya will begin to wonder where I went." He said as he began to walk back to the house still facing me. Gracefully he turned and entered the house, I was left alone once again. I went into the house stopping in the kitchen to tidy my discarded dishes, anything really that could keep my mind from wandering. My eyes skimmed around the room and I thought I saw Mary sitting at the table, in her spot as she called it, blinking I looked back and found her spot vacant. I hummed a gentle tune, trying to take my mind off of everything. I jumped when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned to see Naru standing at the door, leaning against the frame his arms crossed and his face stoic.

"Yes? What do you need?" I asked. He stood up and looked me in the eye, before he said, "We will be departing the premise, our exorcism have been successful. You should be safe now, no worries. If you have any future problems please contact us."

"Thank you very much sir." I replied. He turned on his heel and left the house, I followed closely behind and waved the group off as the vehicles drove away. They drove down the driveway and turned out onto the road, disappearing from my field of view.


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay so here's Chapter 12 again. I'm not sure what my computer decided to do but it was all messed up when I looked at it last night. So I fixed it. **

**Chapter 12**

After they left I reentered the house, it seemed hollow without Mary, it was too quiet. Walking the whole house I traced my hand along the walls, I stopped in each room staring into it as if I was waiting for something to jump out at me. I felt as empty as the house, my insides twisting in knots and making me nauseous, as I stopped outside Marys room. I didn't open the door knowing that it would only disappoint me, so I moved on feeling hot tears beginning to form on my face. Entering my room I grabbed a random sketch pad and pencil, beginning to draw.

My mind was relatively blank as I drew, letting my emotions flow onto the paper whenever they get to be too much for me to handle. Tears were freely flowing from my eyes as I continued to draw, my heart dropped when my hand stopped moving. I stared at a sketch of Mary, her light curls dropping to her shoulders and a bright smile the reached her eyes. I threw the picture across the room as I felt pain well up in my chest, I couldn't moved the thought of her being gone became too much. The cruel reality hit me hard as I thought of her memory, how she had been happy all the time, even when she was in the hospital. Hot tears streamed down my cheeks as I stared at the sketch of her, I remained like this well into the night and early morning.

I didn't move and inch, I had no reason to, my body wasn't hungry or thirsty, and I wasn't tired. I was just there, I felt no need to keep going on the way I was before. I was thrown into a chaotic state, feeling no need to live, I stayed that way for days. The first time I went out into the world, was the day of Mary's funeral. It was a small service filled with people I didn't know and I didn't talk to anyone. I accepted condolences, and hugs from almost everyone who had arrived, leaving with a small funeral procession in a black car right behind the hearse that carried Mary.

As they buried her in the ground I collapsed into a weeping mess, staring at her casket being buried in the cold ground. She was buried with my mother necklace around her neck and the picture I gave her, folded in her hands. Slowly people began to leave, and soon I was alone. I cried to her headstone for what felt like hours, I cried until no more tears would fall and then I just sat there staring blankly at the grave. I reread the headstone over and over again in my head "Her lies Mary Pearce, a beautiful light that was taken to early in her years. 2008 - 2014"

"I'm so sorry, you died because I was weak. I couldn't help you in time and you paid for it. I was weak and now you're gone." I muttered, I needed to be stronger, faster and better than before, for Mary. I needed to change. I stood up and walked away from the grave with my face set in a scowled. I would find Eugene, but I needed to know how to protect myself first, so I ran straight home and began planning. I searched places where I could be taught to defend myself, Writing them all down in my notebook, I shoved it along with my sketch pad containing Mary's drawing, into a messenger bag. I ran around the house grabbing things that I thought I would need to travel, clothes to last a week, deodorant, multiple bandanas, my father pocketwatch, a small swiss army knife, My laptop, and my wallet containing, all that was left of my emergency cash, my bank card, and my drivers license. THe last thing I packed was my phone and it's charger, after passing it three times while looking for it.

Shoving everything in my bag I decided that I would leave the next morning. I curled up under my bedcovers as I fell asleep, _I ran chasing Eugene with Mary on my back, she giggled as I ran faster and faster. I chased him through a forest, dodging trees and jumping over roots, I put Mary down as the scene changed. We stood in front of an old building it was a little run down but still standing and functioning. The area we were in was familiar, I've been here before but I can't remember when. Eugene turned smiling at me, "Come and find me." _

"_But where are you?" I asked. They appeared across the street and I ran through the vehicles, until I tripped. I came eye to eye with the headlights of a semi. _

It was about six am when my eyes snapped open after the dream. I decided that I might as well leave, so I grabbed my messenger bag after dressing in a pair of dark jeans and a black long sleeved hoodie with a deep red tank top underneath it. I stopped at the top and looked down the hall once more. It felt like I wasn't going to be back for a long time, so I took the chance and memorized each corner and every shade of the hallway, my eyes stopped when they passed over Mary's door. The color was bright as ever, brightening up the whole hallway. I turned away feeling grief begin to well up in my chest again as I reminded myself of my goal.

I filled a large togo mug with scalding coffee, I grabbed the keys that had been unused since Eugene went missing and walked into the garage. Inside the door and just in front of me sat a sleek silver Nissan Altima, I smiled grimly as I threw my bag in the passenger seat sitting down in the drivers seat. I started the vehicle and backed it out of the garage, turning onto the main street out of the driveway, I felt free as I drove faster and straight out of the city. THe first place on my list was a DoJo high on mount Fuji. It only took three hours in total to get there, and I was surprised when I learned that they taught you how to defend yourself against everything.

After months of learning from the best I was cleared to go and continue my journey since they could teach me no more. My next stop was to a small shrine in the northern part of honshu, the shrine took me in and taught me a few protective charms that could protect me from spirits that needed to be cleansed, or move on. I stopped seeing Mary, during my time in the DoJo, and I found some type of peace that kept me calm around people. But after Mary was buried,I think something snapped inside of me, I know I'm not the same person I used to be. I feel more disconnected, and detached as time goes on.

My last stop was in a small fortune telling store that carried, everything I would need if I wanted to find eugene, needing only sage to help me cleanse the spirits, lots of candles, matches, cameras, and dust that could help me track where the ghosty was going. As I browsed the store I found an old book, after sifting through the first few pages I found out that it was filled with information on ghosts, the different kinds, what they were capable of, and how to tell the differences between them.

I smiled at the clerk when as she rang my purchase through the till, paid and was out the door in record time. I got into my vehicle and began the long drive home. I spent eight hours straight driving home and arrived just before dawn the next morning. the house phone had been disconnected during my time away and everything was shut off, no power, and running water. I smiled as I walked through the door though and took a quick tour before ending in front of Mary's bright pink door. Nothing had in the room had changed from when I closed that door over a year ago, besides the thick layer of dust that had formed anyway.

I still carried the picture of her and Eugene, it lay concealed in the back pocket of my jeans, their necklace dangling loosely against my chest. Leaving the room I closed the door behind me, then moved on to my room. I jumped on my bed I curled up under the covers and fell asleep, waiting for the dream that had haunted me for the last year to return.

_I ran chasing Eugene with Mary on my back, she giggled as I ran faster and faster. I chased him through a forest, dodging trees and jumping over roots, I put Mary down as the scene changed. We stood in front of an old building it was a little run down but still standing and functioning. The area we were in was familiar, I've been here before but I can't remember when. Eugene turned smiling at me, "Come and find me." _

"_But where are you?" I asked. They appeared across the street and I ran through the vehicles, until I tripped. I came eye to eye with the headlights of a semi, I felt the vehicle hit me, and squish me under it's wheels._

I woke when I felt pain well up in my chest, I woke at the same time every morning since I left and I hoped that it would stop when I returned, but no, it didn't. Tying my now long hair up in a ponytail, I ran through the city. I ran along a familiar path, it's twists and turns permanently etched into my brain as I moved quickly. Reaching the depressingly familiar graveyard on the edge of the city, I walked to Mary's and my parents spot looking down from where I stood. I stared emotionlessly at the grave sights, my body frozen as if, I feared to move. I still hated myself for what happened to them, but I couldn't change what had happened, or bring them back, but I would sure as hell do my very best to make sure it didn't happen again.

One solitary tear tracked down my cheek but was quickly wiped off as I turned to leave. I I felt like someone was watching me and sure enough when I looked around I spotted a dark figure walking slowly along the treeline. It continued to watch me as I left the cemetery and walked down the street, occasionally looking back to see if I could see its face but always had his hood up. He was definitely male, and human, that was easily spotted as he pushed his way through people, trying to get closer. looking straight forward I began to run. I ran but he still caught up to me and dragged me into a warehouse, pushing me to the ground.

"Who are you?" I asked. Putting up my fists to block a hit that would surely come eventually.

"Hey girlie what's your problem. I just want to have a little fun is all." The man said, moving closer to me, I waited for him to be within striking distance but he stopped again. Closing my stance so I was able to move easily, keeping myself covered I noticed that there was another man behind me.

"Get away from me! I'm warning you, you have no idea who your dealing with!" I shouted towards the men that were closing me into a nearby corner. The pair laughed and got closer, within striking distance closer. I attacked throwing a punch into the black hooded ones face, then swinging my leg around to kick the other one. This one though seemed to expect that and grabbed my leg, pulling me closer to him. I threw a well aimed punch at him to the shoulder, causing him to drop my leg and allowing me to put some distance between me and him. Two strong arms then pulled my arms behind my back twisting them painfully. The second one smiled sickly as began punching my stomach. I pulled my legs to my chest and kicked out, knocking him into the wall behind him, leaving him out for the count, then while bringing my legs down I stomped on the first mans feet. Gasping he released my arms, doubling over to grabbed his foot and I swiftly delivered a blow to his temple, knocking him unconscious.

Looking at my phone I noticed that I had a new text, from John. We had kept in contact over the last year but we still hadn't went for coffee. i smiled as I read the message, **Hey do you want to go for coffee with me some time? :) **Quickly typing as I walked I wrote, **Sure are you busy later today at around three? **I hurried home and was entering the door as I got another text. **Sure thing, there's a great little tea shop near you. meet you there? **I instantly knew where I was going and replied with a simple, **Meet you there. **

I looked around before going down the hallway to where SPR had set up. I set up an old pin board on the far wall and unfolded the map I had used when I was searching for Eugene. everywhere I looked I had circled in red pen, and if I had any leads they were circled in blue pen, tacking it to the wall. I stepped back and looked at what I had done how far I had traveled and where I needed to look from before. Deciding it would be better to start this after I went for coffee with John, I went to shower and get ready. I dressed in my usual black hoodie, with a light blue tanktop underneath and light skinny jeans. My hair that just reached the bottom of my shoulder blades was blow dried and out of it's usual ponytail, but my trusty ponytail lay on my wrist just incase.

I walked to the tea shop and walked in at about 2:45 a little early but at least I wasn't late. I ordered a lemon tea and waited for John to arrive. I looked out the window at the beautiful fall day outside, watching for him when I spotted the familiar blue eyed blonde just entering the shop. I waved him over to where I was, standing up to hug him. "How are you?" I asked.

"I'm good, you?"

"Better than before I guess. So what have you been up to lately?" I asked as we sat down. I decided not to mention that I was attacked earlier today to him just yet. He seemed to think about what he should tell them they had been doing.

"Naru had me help with a few cases of theirs, but nothing other than that. So what have you been up to, you pretty much dropped off the map after Mary's funeral. Are you staying for awhile or will you be gone again soon?"

"I hope to stay, but if I find anything on my friend I will follow it wherever it takes me." I smiled, trying to fool him but it didn't.

"What's wrong? You don't seem yourself." He asked I just shook my head and drank my tea, it remained quiet at our table for a couple minutes before he realized he wasn't going to get an answer. We spent hours talking about everything that had happened in the last year. I smiled as we talked, thoroughly in trawled with all the cases he had went on with SPR. After he finished his stories he asked me "Did you find anything about Eugene while you were gone?"

"I really wish I could say yes, but the trail went cold a long time ago. I only dream of finding him now." I said looking him in the eye. "I'd better be going it's almost dark."

"Please let me walk you home then."

"No, I don't live far and I still have some light outside. I'll be fine." I said as I hugged him one last time. "I'll call you when I get home okay?"

"Fine, but if I don't get a call. I'm coming to check on you, deal?"

"Deal." I said before leaving the shop.


	13. Chapter 13

**Here's Chapter 13, just a heads up updates may become less frequent. I just started school and am already feeling stressed. Anyway here's chapter 13, please review, follow and favourite. **

**Enjoy :)**

**Chapter 13**

Letting my thoughts wander I walked quickly back to my house, the trip was quick and uneventful. After a quick call to John telling him I made it back alright, I began to look for new leads in my search for Eugene. Sitting with my laptop I looked up all the places that were marked, looking for the warehouse from my dream. I didn't notice the sun rise the next day until about noon when my stomach growled at me loudly, telling me that I needed to eat. As I stood I looked at the map for the hundredth time, checking if anything had changed and allowing my back to crack.

After a hot shower and changing clothes I walked down to a small restaurant down the street. I wish I could say something eventful happened but nothing interesting happened during my quick lunch or as I returned home, but when I entered the house I felt the immediate need to go and check the map again. As I searched for something different I noticed that my local map was laying across the table had a pin stuck to it. After looking at the placing of the pin and grabbing my laptop I was thrown back into my investigation. Eugene must have left me a sign, this is his way of helping me.

My search went on for hours on the history of the area and old records of the buildings. It scared me how many old buildings were abandoned in the immediate area as the number of possible hideaways increased. I wrote each address along with a summarised brief of its history on my notepad, before Checking to make sure that the area was correct. I marked it on the map that hung on my wall and checked the time, 3:00. I had plenty of daylight to burn and a lot of places to check out, so I decided I would start on the list, stopping when the sun began to set.

Throwing my old worn out messenger bag over my shoulder, I shoved the notebook in to it and walked back out to face the world once again. I walked for ten minutes through the light afternoon traffic to the intersection marked and the first address on my list. It didn't look like the one in my dream but it still seemed familiar, so I took my chances and walked into to the old building. The room I entered smelled musty, the floor was concrete and void of all furniture that may have one filled it. It felt eerily empty, and as I searched it held nothing that would point to it being used during the time frame that Eugene would have used it.

The rest of the day was filled with buildings much like that, I didn't find anymore leads or anything that could have helped me. The most excitement I had was when a cat had jumped out of a closet while I was searched the third or fourth building. As I was walking out of the building I noticed a shadowed figure standing in a nearby alley. I was curious but not curious enough to go over there and talk to it so I turned and began to walk back to my house. Hearing footsteps behind me I turned on my heel, noticing the figure had moved towards me. I turned again and continued walking, discreetly reaching into my bag and grabbing the small blade I kept in it and pulling it into my hand.

As I felt two hands grab my shoulders I pulled my arm back and into my assailant. the hands released instantly and I bolted as soon as I was free. I turned back when I had made it all the way down the street and there was enough distance between myself and the attacker they wouldn't be able to reach me before I could get help. As I lifted my eyes I didn't see anyone, as if my attacker had disappeared into thin air. I didn't like where this was going as my eyes searched for any sign of the person, but there wasn't any trace that they were even there.

"Great, you've officially lost it." I muttered out loud.

**You know if you stopped talking to yourself, it would be easier to keep whatever you've lost. **A familiar voice said. I thought I wouldn't hear that voice ever again, whipping around I was greeted by nothing.

"Where are you, Eugene?" I called, louder this time.

**In your head. ** he deadpanned. **Now stop shouting at the air and just think about what you want to say that will make this encounter easier for both of us. **

_**You've got to be kidding me. How long have you been able to do this?**_ I mentally growled, I was angry that he could do this not and not before.

**Calm down. Look I know you're mad but you are going to need help, if you want to find me. Your dreams will help you, they might help you find me. There are things that don't want me found so be careful. They'll try to hurt you, that I know for sure. Call Naru, he can help you more than you think. Stay Safe, I don't want to meet you here, while you've got so much ahead of you. **I rolled my eyes at the end.

_**Sure. I'll call him when I find the warehouse. I will, you know that. **_I could feel Eugene's smile as his presence in my head disappeared. I began to walk home, the sun was beneath the horizon and the streetlights were on by the time I made it back to the house. As I locked the door I flinched as I saw Mary run in front of me causing me to jump back. I stopped seeing her months ago, why was I seeing her again, I knew why when she turned to face me.

Her eyes were a deep red and her face covered in a dark shadow, A smile stretched across her face but was too wide to be her own. She moved towards me, I tried to move back but her eyes seemed to draw me in. I froze, waiting for that thing to attack but it just stood there, and with the blink of an eye it was gone. I sprinted into the room I was using as my search base and grabbed the book on all ghosts and such, shoving it into my bag along with every other thing I would need for my search before grabbing the car keys and driving away. After trying to call john for about an hour, I stopped on the side of the road, parking before pulling out the book. I searched through every section, looking for something that could have explained what was in the house. I stopped on the section of shapeshifters, spirits that take form of humans to hunt and kill for them. Beside the definition was a drawing of the red eyes I saw and the smile, from what the book had said like all other spirits they were repelled by rock salt.

I tried calling John again only to be left with his voicemail again, Awkwardly I left a message. "Hey John it's Scarlet, I need you to call me back as soon as possible. I really need help right now I don't know how to deal with this so ya. Call me when you get the chance." I told the machine. As I hung up the phone I looked into my mirror and saw the red eyed Mary again, I opened the door falling out into the street. Narrowly avoiding a head on collision with a taxi, I jumped on to the sidewalk and collapsed pulling my knees up to my chest. I sat there for what felt like hours, my eyes frantically searching around for any sign of her when I hear my phone ring from inside the vehicle. I shuffled opening the door quickly and grabbing my phone before rushing back away from it. I opened the phone and heard a frantic John brown on the other end of the line.

"Where are you?" He shouted. "I got your message and went over to your house, to find you not there and the place trashed. Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm physically fine for now but I have a feeling that won't last long. I think I'm on 43rd street and 106th avenue and I'm sitting on the side of the road. Can you come and get me? I'm not in any state to be driving."

"I'll be right there." He said before hanging up. I stayed sitting until John arrived, quickly grabbing the book and my keys out of the car before locking it. We drove for about twenty minutes before john stopped and turned to me. I was still watching behind me, waiting for it to return and attack, I didn't even noticed we had stopped until he gently touched my shoulder. I flinched away from the touch, turning to face him and pressing my back up against the window in fear. He jumped slightly immediately removing his hand and backing away slightly confusion written on his face.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, "It was her, she was walking towards me but I knew it wasn't really her. Somethings hunting me, and it's using her face to do it."

"What? Who's hunting you?" He asked.

"I-I don't know."

"Who are they using?"

"Mary." I whispered, out of the corner of my eye I saw something move, I whipped my head around and saw her face in the back seat. I screamed and jumped out of the car, and for the second time today I ran right into traffic. Dodging vehicles, I made it to the other side of the street before frantically began to search around again. Everything began to blur together until all I saw in the pale light of dawn were two bright red eyes. Then my world went dark, I felt my legs cave in hit the ground, then my arms and finally my head.

"What happened to her?"

"Who is she?"

"Why did you bring her here, John?"

"She need medical attention, she should be at a hospital not here."

"Mai, Tea."

I heard voices floating around my head, and I slowly opened my eyes to a bright light. THe sun had obviously risen and I was greeted by two figures floating over my head. I groaned as I tried to sit up, pulling my legs up to my chest in a rapid movement. "What the hell John? Where am I?" I groaned as my vision began coming back. Then I saw the familiar faces of the SPR team and jolted out of whatever I was in when I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.

"Did you miss me?" I heard a voice say.

"What did you just say something?" I asked. The group shook their heads.

"No It was me." THe voice said. It sounded sickly familiar. I looked around and noticed the red eye Mary standing against the wall.

"God damn it." I muttered. "Miss Matsuzaki, Mr. Takigawa, don't move an inch. I don't know what it'll do."

"What are you going on about, kid." Takigawa asked, but I ignored him and moved towards the girl. The red eyes remained constant, following me and only me. I almost shuddered under the gaze but kept moving.

"What are you doing here?" I asked it.

"What do you think? I'm hunting, clever girl. you already know what I am, don't you? I don't think that this is the right one," It laughed then changed shape into Eugene, bright smile and all. "I think this suits me better don't you?"

I backed away slightly until I felt something touch my back. I didn't take my eyes off of the shapeshifter, It then changed again this time into my mother, she looked exactly how I remembered. I lost all control I had, as I felt anger surge through me I ran at it expecting to collide with it, but I was thrown against the wall over the SPR group, watching it disappear as I slid down the wall.

"What was that?" Naru demanded, glaring at me. It was obvious that when it changed to Eugene it hit him hard to.

"It was a shapeshifter, I would have thought you knew that though." I said as I stood up. "It first showed up at my house, early last night, and has haunted me since." Swaying slightly I patted the back of my head lightly. My fingertips were red with blood, and I knew I had hit my head hard when I felt a goose egg on my head grow. I smiled brightly at the group before I sat back down, them looking at me like I'm a lunatic.

"What happened in here, I was gone for what? Ten minutes at most and you trash the place!" Mai shouted. I looked around the room and found that all the papers that were stacked on the table and a nearby desk were covering the floor.

"Sorry, that was my fault." I said, "Good to see you too, Mai."

"I'm sorry who are you?"

"Really? Your boss even recognized me. Scarlet? Scarlet Pearce?"

"Oops, sorry, you look so much different."

"It's fine," I turned back to the group. "Mr. Shibuya I need to talk to you privately."

"About what?"

"Well that's what I think you want to find out in private."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, Here's chapter 13, I hope you guys enjoy it. Please follow, favourite, and review. **

**Enjoy! :)**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OCs, Everything else belongs to their respective owners.**

**Chapter 13**

Letting my thoughts wander I walked quickly back to my house, the trip was quick and uneventful. After a quick call to John telling him I made it back alright, I began to look for new leads in my search for Eugene. Sitting with my laptop I looked up all the places that were marked, looking for the warehouse from my dream. I didn't notice the sun rise the next day until about noon when my stomach growled at me loudly, telling me that I needed to eat. As I stood I looked at the map for the hundredth time, checking if anything had changed and allowing my back to crack.

After a hot shower and changing clothes I walked down to a small restaurant down the street. I wish I could say something eventful happened but nothing interesting happened during my quick lunch or as I returned home, but when I entered the house I felt the immediate need to go and check the map again. As I searched for something different I noticed that my local map was laying across the table had a pin stuck to it. After looking at the placing of the pin and grabbing my laptop I was thrown back into my investigation. Eugene must have left me a sign, this is his way of helping me.

My search went on for hours on the history of the area and old records of the buildings. It scared me how many old buildings were abandoned in the immediate area as the number of possible hideaways increased. I wrote each address along with a summarised brief of its history on my notepad, before Checking to make sure that the area was correct. I marked it on the map that hung on my wall and checked the time, 3:00. I had plenty of daylight to burn and a lot of places to check out, so I decided I would start on the list, stopping when the sun began to set.

Throwing my old worn out messenger bag over my shoulder, I shoved the notebook in to it and walked back out to face the world once again. I walked for ten minutes through the light afternoon traffic to the intersection marked and the first address on my list. It didn't look like the one in my dream but it still seemed familiar, so I took my chances and walked into to the old building. The room I entered smelled musty, the floor was concrete and void of all furniture that may have one filled it. It felt eerily empty, and as I searched it held nothing that would point to it being used during the time frame that Eugene would have used it.

The rest of the day was filled with buildings much like that, I didn't find anymore leads or anything that could have helped me. The most excitement I had was when a cat had jumped out of a closet while I was searched the third or fourth building. As I was walking out of the building I noticed a shadowed figure standing in a nearby alley. I was curious but not curious enough to go over there and talk to it so I turned and began to walk back to my house. Hearing footsteps behind me I turned on my heel, noticing the figure had moved towards me. I turned again and continued walking, discreetly reaching into my bag and grabbing the small blade I kept in it and pulling it into my hand.

As I felt two hands grab my shoulders I pulled my arm back and into my assailant. the hands released instantly and I bolted as soon as I was free. I turned back when I had made it all the way down the street and there was enough distance between myself and the attacker they wouldn't be able to reach me before I could get help. As I lifted my eyes I didn't see anyone, as if my attacker had disappeared into thin air. I didn't like where this was going as my eyes searched for any sign of the person, but there wasn't any trace that they were even there.

"Great, you've officially lost it." I muttered out loud.

**You know if you stopped talking to yourself, it would be easier to keep whatever you've lost. **A familiar voice said. I thought I wouldn't hear that voice ever again, whipping around I was greeted by nothing.

"Where are you, Eugene?" I called, louder this time.

**In your head. ** he deadpanned. **Now stop shouting at the air and just think about what you want to say that will make this encounter easier for both of us. **

_**You've got to be kidding me. How long have you been able to do this?**_ I mentally growled, I was angry that he could do this not and not before.

**Calm down. Look I know you're mad but you are going to need help, if you want to find me. Your dreams will help you, they might help you find me. There are things that don't want me found so be careful. They'll try to hurt you, that I know for sure. Call Naru, he can help you more than you think. Stay Safe, I don't want to meet you here, while you've got so much ahead of you. **I rolled my eyes at the end.

_**Sure. I'll call him when I find the warehouse. I will, you know that. **_I could feel Eugene's smile as his presence in my head disappeared. I began to walk home, the sun was beneath the horizon and the streetlights were on by the time I made it back to the house. As I locked the door I flinched as I saw Mary run in front of me causing me to jump back. I stopped seeing her months ago, why was I seeing her again, I knew why when she turned to face me.

Her eyes were a deep red and her face covered in a dark shadow, A smile stretched across her face but was too wide to be her own. She moved towards me, I tried to move back but her eyes seemed to draw me in. I froze, waiting for that thing to attack but it just stood there, and with the blink of an eye it was gone. I sprinted into the room I was using as my search base and grabbed the book on all ghosts and such, shoving it into my bag along with every other thing I would need for my search before grabbing the car keys and driving away. After trying to call john for about an hour, I stopped on the side of the road, parking before pulling out the book. I searched through every section, looking for something that could have explained what was in the house. I stopped on the section of shapeshifters, spirits that take form of humans to hunt and kill for them. Beside the definition was a drawing of the red eyes I saw and the smile, from what the book had said like all other spirits they were repelled by rock salt.

I tried calling John again only to be left with his voicemail again, Awkwardly I left a message. "Hey John it's Scarlet, I need you to call me back as soon as possible. I really need help right now I don't know how to deal with this so ya. Call me when you get the chance." I told the machine. As I hung up the phone I looked into my mirror and saw the red eyed Mary again, I opened the door falling out into the street. Narrowly avoiding a head on collision with a taxi, I jumped on to the sidewalk and collapsed pulling my knees up to my chest. I sat there for what felt like hours, my eyes frantically searching around for any sign of her when I hear my phone ring from inside the vehicle. I shuffled opening the door quickly and grabbing my phone before rushing back away from it. I opened the phone and heard a frantic John brown on the other end of the line.

"Where are you?" He shouted. "I got your message and went over to your house, to find you not there and the place trashed. Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm physically fine for now but I have a feeling that won't last long. I think I'm on 43rd street and 106th avenue and I'm sitting on the side of the road. Can you come and get me? I'm not in any state to be driving."

"I'll be right there." He said before hanging up. I stayed sitting until John arrived, quickly grabbing the book and my keys out of the car before locking it. We drove for about twenty minutes before john stopped and turned to me. I was still watching behind me, waiting for it to return and attack, I didn't even noticed we had stopped until he gently touched my shoulder. I flinched away from the touch, turning to face him and pressing my back up against the window in fear. He jumped slightly immediately removing his hand and backing away slightly confusion written on his face.

"I'm sorry." I muttered, "It was her, she was walking towards me but I knew it wasn't really her. Somethings hunting me, and it's using her face to do it."

"What? Who's hunting you?" He asked.

"I-I don't know."

"Who are they using?"

"Mary." I whispered, out of the corner of my eye I saw something move, I whipped my head around and saw her face in the back seat. I screamed and jumped out of the car, and for the second time today I ran right into traffic. Dodging vehicles, I made it to the other side of the street before frantically began to search around again. Everything began to blur together until all I saw in the pale light of dawn were two bright red eyes. Then my world went dark, I felt my legs cave in hit the ground, then my arms and finally my head.

"What happened to her?"

"Who is she?"

"Why did you bring her here, John?"

"She need medical attention, she should be at a hospital not here."

"Mai, Tea."

I heard voices floating around my head, and I slowly opened my eyes to a bright light. THe sun had obviously risen and I was greeted by two figures floating over my head. I groaned as I tried to sit up, pulling my legs up to my chest in a rapid movement. "What the hell John? Where am I?" I groaned as my vision began coming back. Then I saw the familiar faces of the SPR team and jolted out of whatever I was in when I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.

"Did you miss me?" I heard a voice say.

"What did you just say something?" I asked. The group shook their heads.

"No It was me." THe voice said. It sounded sickly familiar. I looked around and noticed the red eye Mary standing against the wall.

"God damn it." I muttered. "Miss Matsuzaki, Mr. Takigawa, don't move an inch. I don't know what it'll do."

"What are you going on about, kid." Takigawa asked, but I ignored him and moved towards the girl. The red eyes remained constant, following me and only me. I almost shuddered under the gaze but kept moving.

"What are you doing here?" I asked it.

"What do you think? I'm hunting, clever girl. you already know what I am, don't you? I don't think that this is the right one," It laughed then changed shape into Eugene, bright smile and all. "I think this suits me better don't you?"

I backed away slightly until I felt something touch my back. I didn't take my eyes off of the shapeshifter, It then changed again this time into my mother, she looked exactly how I remembered. I lost all control I had, as I felt anger surge through me I ran at it expecting to collide with it, but I was thrown against the wall over the SPR group, watching it disappear as I slid down the wall.

"What was that?" Naru demanded, glaring at me. It was obvious that when it changed to Eugene it hit him hard to.

"It was a shapeshifter, I would have thought you knew that though." I said as I stood up. "It first showed up at my house, early last night, and has haunted me since." Swaying slightly I patted the back of my head lightly. My fingertips were red with blood, and I knew I had hit my head hard when I felt a goose egg on my head grow. I smiled brightly at the group before I sat back down, them looking at me like I'm a lunatic.

"What happened in here, I was gone for what? Ten minutes at most and you trash the place!" Mai shouted. I looked around the room and found that all the papers that were stacked on the table and a nearby desk were covering the floor.

"Sorry, that was my fault." I said, "Good to see you too, Mai."

"I'm sorry who are you?"

"Really? Your boss even recognized me. Scarlet? Scarlet Pearce?"

"Oops, sorry, you look so much different."

"It's fine," I turned back to the group. "Mr. Shibuya I need to talk to you privately."

"About what?"

"Well that's what I think you want to find out in private."


	15. Chapter 15

**Ok so I messed up with my last updat and didn't notice it until now so here's the actual chapter 14, please enjoy. Review, Follow Favourite. **

**Chapter 14**

"Very well, we can step into my office." He said pointing to a nearby door. The door lead to a decent sized room, with a large desk in the center of it. The walls were lined with books, and from what I could read a lot of them were in english and other languages I couldn't understand. I looked around for a minute when Naru cleared his throat instantly getting my attention.

"Look, I have a pretty good idea of where Eugene is I just haven't found him yet. I have good reason to believe that something doesn't want him found, and that's why I'm being hunted by that shapeshifter." I said.

"Where do you think he is?"

"It's not safe to tell you yet. Once I'm sure you'll be the first to know, just trust me."

"This is my brother we're talking about, I have a right to know."

"He's my best friend, and you have the right to know exactly what I tell you!" I shouted in reply. "Please just trust me, I know there's going to be more and I can't have them after you too. Eugene would kill me, if he found out."

"I don't care what Gene would do, I need to help find him and I can't have someone getting in the way and with holding secrets that I could find him." He replied, his voice cold and harsh. I glared right at him, before I turned and left, walking right through the group of SPR and out the door. I could almost feel the red eyes staring at my back as I turned the corner and began walking back to my car. It was parked a couple blocks back and close to the house. When I found it I saw a reflection in the mirror that wasn't mine, I whipped around and came face to face with the shapeshifter.

I glared into it's red eyes not paying attention as it shifted into an image of Eugene, I was suddenly lifted and tossed away from my car. I looked for something to defend myself against it but there was nothing that could get rid of it. Standing I tried getting back to my car, but I couldn't make it. Reaching into the back of my brain, I remembered a prayer that was said to protect against evil. As a last ditch effort I began to mumble the prayer, "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and the snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

The shifter flinched and disappeared with a shriek. I ran into my car and drove to the closest store. My book in hand, I bought all the rock salt from the store and what ever else could help me defend myself against these things. When I got home all my door and window were salted and I went to my mothers room shifting through all her jewelry. I needed her old rosary, both Mary and I were baptized Catholic, but we were never communned into the church. It really wasn't a big part of our lives, but after this started to happen I welcomed any help that I could get.

I found the white beaded rosary and hung it around my neck. The beautiful silver cross hung low on my chest swaying gently as I walked back into my base. My messenger bag had been thrown back in before I salted the place and a small bottle of salt lay next to it. Digging through my bag I found the notepad with my list of places and decided that I would look up pictures of each address, so I pulled out my laptop and began my search looking around periodically as to check that nothing had gotten past the the salt. I had made it halfway through my list when I came across a picture that sparked something in my head.

The building was identical to the one in my dream, leaning back in my chair, I allowed memories to take control over my mind. _We were walking through the streets eating ice cream, Mary was walking right in front of us and Eugene right beside me. Everyone was happy, when Eugene suddenly stopped walking. I turned to look where he was, but he had just zoned out, he didn't move for seconds. Then he seemed to jump out of the trance and pretended that nothing happened. It was a week before he left, and I didn't think he would go back there. It all makes sense now. _

I jolted out of the memory as I heard a loud crash, followed by cursing. Opening the door I saw that John was standing on a broken vase. "Did you break my salt lines?" I asked

"No."

"Who's with you? I know you don't curse like that."

"I did." A deep voice replied from behind me. I turned and looked up at a blank faced Naru.

"Then the actual question is what are you doing in my house? Or better yet, what did you break?" I smirked.

"I broke nothing, I just encountered the same shapeshifter, you did earlier, outside. I assumed you would like to know. John was coming to check on you anyway so I tagged along assuming you were still here that is."

"Shit, Naru if you broke my salt line I'm going to kill you." I said as I ran a quick lap of the house. All my lines were good and everything was as it could have been. As I returned I was surprised to find both John and Naru were in my base, John standing against the wall, trying to warn Naru that I would be mad if I came back and Naru shuffling through my files and moving to my laptop. I walked up to him and snapped the screen over the keyboard and onto his fingers. I glared at him but he just seemed to shrug it off. "What are you still doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious I'm investigating the shapeshifter, and you seem to know what you're doing."

"All I know so far is that it doesn't like it when you pray in front of it and it hasn't attacked while I'm in the salt. My suggestion is you get to the nearest store and get as much salt as you can if its hunting you." I said. He remained unmoving and continued to stare at me. I turned away from him and went the other side of the room.

"Hey John, why did you really bring him."

"I was going to come because you weren't answering your phone, and I found Naru sitting in my car when I went to leave. When I asked him he just said that he was coming to check on you." The blonde replied. "And by the looks of things he isn't going to leave for a while."

"Great, just great. While would you like some tea of coffee?" I asked.

"Tea would be great if you wouldn't mind."

"Scarlet," Naru said from behind me.

"What?" I growled.

"Tea."

"I didn't offer you any." I looked back at John, "Don't let him touch my laptop or my notebook, please." I walked passed the desk and grabbed my ghost book out of his hands. I walked out the door with it in my hands and went into the kitchen. I quickly made a pot of coffee for me and a heated some water for tea. Setting up a tray, I grabbed an extra cup for Naru but I wasn't intending on serving him. After I steeped the tea and my coffee was done I put both on a tray and carried in into base. "Here John your tea."

"Thank you." He said as he took the cup from my hand. Naru's eyes flashed towards the extra cup and I sat back in my chair putting my feet on the table. I watched as he scanned the map for any hints as to where I was looking for Eugene, but I hadn't had time to put up the location on the big map. His eyes kept travelling to the extra cup as I refilled my own cup with coffee and offered more tea to John.

"If you want some Naru then grab the cup and pour it yourself." I muttered, pointing a glance at him, only to see he was glaring at me, a weird look on his face. "Wipe that look off your face before I do."

"Like you would do that." He said. I raised an eyebrow to him, challenging him. Then replied quietly, "You have no idea what I'm capable of."

I turned and walked out of the room, I wandered aimlessly until I climbed up the stairs. My window was still boarded up so I took it down with a hammer and jumped out onto the roof, the sat just below the windowsill. In my pocket was a small amount of salt just in case, something decided to attack me. I sat there looking out the window and watched as the clouds floated through the sky. I smiled as I thought of all the times the three of us would just sit on the grass and watch the clouds, letting go of all our cares and worries. I jumped nearly falling off the edge of the roof when I heard someone climb up right next to me. I teetered on the edge until I felt a hand grab my shoulders and pull me back. Turing I came face to face with Naru, his face blank but his eyes showed he was worried. His hands stayed on my shoulders until I shifted to go back inside.

"I'm sorry." He said, causing me to stop in my tracks. "I'm sorry about earlier today. I'm normally the one keeping the secrets from other people, not the other way around."

"I'm still not telling you anything. It's not safe yet, and I'm not putting you or anyone who might follow me endanger." I replied.

"Was he happy here?"

"Ya he was, he help me though a lot while he was with us."

"Was he more than a friend to you?" He asked turning to look me directly in the eye. I blushed at the thought of that type of relationship with him but began laughing at the thought.

"What would give you that idea!" I shouted between laughs, "We were best friends, but I didn't think of his as anything more than that. Why?"

"Nevermind. It's not my business to tell you. We'd better get back before something decides it's smart to attack." As soon as he uttered those words I spotted a figure on the far edge of the roof, it rushed us and I threw the salt I had in my pocket at it. Flinching slightly, the figure quickly took shape of Mary, I pushed Naru towards the house, hoping that he would get the message but he remained still.

"Why did you push me?" He asked, looking at me.

"Get inside. It's not safe out here." I shouted as Mary moved towards me. I began to back away from it only to realize that I was running out of roof very quickly. I looked around, looking for something that could stop it's advances, while Naru still hadn't moved. I looked at him, praying that he would realize it soon and give me some back up but he remained stunned. I figure noticed my gaze and turned around, disappearing only to reappear in front of Naru, inches from his face. Lifting him off his feet by the collar of his shirt, it turned to face me, "You should have listened to you little friends warning. Such a shame a pretty face like this going to waste."

"Get away from him!" I shouted, right before something threw the shifter off of him. He dropped to the ground and stared where it had disappeared. "Oh god, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, help me up." He said, I pulled him up and crawled back through the window. Once inside the house I shouted for John to come up and help me. He ran up the stairs and grabbed his other arm and pulled him closer so he was leaning between the pair of us. As soon as we got back to base I grabbed the bottle of salt that sat on the table and drew a salt line all around the room, then asked John to make some tea as I checked Naru for any cuts or other injuries, giving him a small container of salt to carry with him.

"I told you to get inside you dunce. Why didn't you?" I asked as I checked him over for head injuries.

"I thought you had figured it out." he replied, as I took a small flashlight and shined it into his pale blue eyes. "Look I'm perfectly fine, now stop shining that light in my eye."

"Fine, it looks like you're okay. Nothing permanent that I can tell, just tell me if you get a headache or feel dizzy." I said, moving to the closed door, and out into the hallway. "I'm going to check on John, shout really loud if you see the shifter. The salts on the table don't be afraid to use it."

I sprinted to the kitchen and ran through the door, keeping my eyes roaming in all directions. Startling poor John as I entered the kitchen, Sending him a smile I moved towards the coffee maker I started another pot. It was an addiction that I've had since my parents died,it got me going anytime of day, so I drank it often.

"So what happened. Why was Naru attacked and not you?" He asked.

"I was sitting on the roof with Naru and then it just attacked us. It started backing me towards the edge of the roof, then it changed and attacked Naru. Then it was just thrown off of him by some invisible force. As for why Naru suffered physical damage in the attack I have no idea why. As far as I thought it was after me and only me." I replied grabbing the pot of coffee and the steeped tea, beginning to walk back to the base. As I entered the base I noticed that all my salt lines were unbroken and everything was as it should have been, but Naru was now leaning on the table in front of him holding his head in his hands.

"Are you alright?" I asked before moving to touch his shoulder, his arms shift slightly causing his head to slip from his hands and collide with the table. Rushing forward I lifted his head checking if he was alright but he didn't move.


	16. Chapter 16

**Ok here is chapter 15. Sorry about the late update I was really busy with Volley ball yesterday and I pretty much passed out when It was over. Anyway Enjoy:)**

**Chapter 15**

"John, can you get him into my car. We need to get him to the hospital." I said, gesturing for him to lift Naru and grabbing my keys. After we were all in the vehicle I drove as fast as I could getting to the nearest hospital in record time, where Naru was taken by a nurse as soon as we passed through the door. I turned to John checking what he was doing but he was walking outside the door with his phone in hand.

"Excuse me miss? Would you mind filling out this form for your boyfriend?" A nurse asked from behind me, tapping my shoulder.

"I'm sorry, who?" I asked turning to face her.

"The man you brought in." She continued. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed…" I told her that he was a friend and he was at my house for something when he collapsed. She apologized again as she handed me the clipboard, before turning and helping out a couple that had just entered the hospital doors. John appeared right beside me as I looked at the sheet attached to the clipboard.

"Here fill this out you know him better than I do." I said as I shifted and pulled my legs up to my chest. The last time I was here was when Mary was attacked and I was stuck waiting in this room for hours. Closing my eyes, I tried to ignore the all familiar sounds, but a distant beeping was heard. It rang through my ears to clear to be real, then the beeping became a solid tone that shook me. I opened my eyes, and looked directly into the deep red of the shapeshifters eyes.

I remembered red, but that was all. I woke up hours later, laying in a hospital bed and attached to a beeping machine. The room was bright and I saw two figure sitting across the room. Sitting up quickly my eyes focused on the figures, John sat reading a book and Naru was staring at me. My head pounded, closing my eyes I tried to soothe the pain but I snapped them open when I felt movement. Something or someone grabbed my hand and I launched myself off the bed, my eyes open but not processing, pulling the wires that were in my arms loose.

My eyes cleared as I heard a solid beeping come from the machine. I looked to the bed, and saw a stunned John, but even worse a shocked Naru. The look on his face was almost funny, I stifled a laugh as a nurse frantically ran into the room, standing on shaky legs I waved and smiled at the woman.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed." She shouted. Flinching at the volume I walked over to the bed and sat down.

"What happened?" I asked turning to the pair that still stood beside the bed, The woman left after shutting off the machines and giving me a warning that if I left the bed again I would be strapped to it.

"Well you just sort of collapsed, then you started shaking and 've been out for a couple days now." John explained. I tilted my head thinking about this before I turned to Naru.

"Really is that all? Why am I still stuck in this bed then?" I asked, trying to think about what could have happened to make the nurse so worried.

"Not exactly, your heart stopped for a bit, and they had to revive you."

"Wait! I died, like my heart actually stopped beating. " I asked as my brain tried to process the new information. The pair looked at me both nodding their heads, I grabbed my head in my hands and took a deep breath trying to calm down. "John, did you see the shapeshifter before I collapsed?"

"No, why?" He asked.

"It was the last thing I remember seeing. I looked it right in the eye and then I woke up here. I need my book, this has to mean something." I muttered as I searched the room, absentmindedly patting my pockets to check for the book, though it wouldn't fit in there. "God damn it."

I was shaking uncontrollably, everything that happened during the week was catching up to me and it was taking it's toll. My nerves were shot and I was losing control of my emotions. I clasped my hands together in an attempt to stop the shaking, I got up and tried walking out of the room but I was cut off by John and Naru. They both stood in front of the room door blocking my path. I was about to push past them but my left knee gave out and I dropped to the floor. I sat there stunned that I couldn't do anything, I felt helpless as I was lifted by a pair of strong arms and placed back on the bed. I turned and found that it wasn't John who had lifted me it was Naru, which surprised me but I didn't spend much time thinking about it as my body dropped unconscious again.

_In front of me stood Mary, she looked exactly the same way she did when she died. I flinched as she moved towards me, her eyes were filled with anger, then she screamed. She screamed worse than she had when she was attacked or when the ghost had replayed her screams in the cabin. _

"_You killed me! It's your fault I'm here!" she shouted, but it wasn't her voice it was the same voice of the shapeshifter. Her eyes changed to red and it grabbed me. _

"_You're dead!" It uttered, before it threw me away from it._

I woke up, gasping. Looking around I saw her in the corner of the room, lurking and watching me. It's eyes calculating and cold, seeming to burn into my skin. Suddenly it disappeared, I looked around for it but there was no sign that it had ever been there. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I wrapped my arms around them and tried to calm myself down. I took note to myself that both John and Naru were gone. Hearing the door open I looked up and jumped when I saw Lin, the last person I'd expect to visit me.

"Uh, Hello?" I said to him unsure of what to say.

"Hello, Miss Pearce." He jumped slightly before he replied, he obviously hadn't thought I was awake.

"Scarlet, I hate being called that." I corrected before continuing. "Not that I don't enjoy the company but what are you doing here?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you about what you saw when the so called shapeshifter attacked Naru. It was initially attacking you right, do you know why it changed its target." He asked, his face was unreadable but his eyes were curious.

"I don't think he saw it until it attacked him, or else he just decided to ignore my warning and not go inside. To be honest I really don't know why it attacked him instead of me. I definitely know more than Naru about what it wanted." I muttered the last part, quiet enough so only I could hear it. My head snapped to the side when I thought something moved from the corner of my eye, I watched the shadow in the corner but it was still. Soon after Lin left and I was alone again, my stuff lay in a pile on a nearby table.

I kept thinking I saw something when there wasn't anything there, I needed to get out of this place. I decided right after the nurse would check on me like she did every hour I would grab my stuff and get out of here. My car should still be in the parking lot, meaning my escape would be a clean get away. If only that were true, I made it outside the hospital as soon as the nurse was clear of the room but then my car was gone, meaning John had taken it back to the house.I walked to the house which was halfway across the city taking breaks often and almost collapsing twice, but I made it home.

I thought I was all clear when I noticed that my door was unlocked and I hear someone inside. I slowly snuck my way in taking note that my salt line from before was still intact, I made it into the base and grabbed a bit of salt before backing up and kicking in the door. Inside sat Naru and a terrified Mai huddled behind his chair. Dropping the salt I leaned against the door frame, sending Naru a pointed look as he was about to open my book. "What the hell do you think you're doing in my house?"

"You aren't supposed to be discharged from the hospital for another two days how did you get out?" He asked miffed that I stood in the doorway.

"I walked out the front door, and walked across the city since John decided to bring my car back here. Now answer the question." I said as my voice began to get louder. I was pissed, he thought that he had the right to just waltz into my house and snoop through my stuff while I was in the hospital, boy was he wrong.

"While you were in the hospital, I was going to continue and work the case."

"What case? There is no case, this is between me and this shifter, it's hiding something that I was getting close to uncovering, the only way to stop it, is to uncover the secret it's trying to hide. I'm not telling you what I know because you will get trapped in this just like me, and trust me you don't want that." I jumped around and looked down the hallway as I thought I felt something pass me, but it was empty. My hands start to shake again, and I tighten them into fists. Shuddering slightly I walked and grabbed the book that was in front of him and walked out. i went straight up to my room where I had thrown my messenger bag, grabbed it and left again.

The car keys were sitting under the visor, and after putting them into the exhaust I threw it into drive and was gone. I didn't realize where I was driving to until I pulled up in front of the warehouse from my dream. I stared at it wondering if I really wanted to know what happened to Eugene, it could have been worse than I could have imagined, he could he buried or crushed under something, or he could he have suffocated in a room that accidentally locked when he entered.

All these possibilities passed through my head, causing me to involuntary shiver. They also caused me to jump when I heard my phone ringing in my bag. After fighting to dig my phone free I answered it. "Hello?"

"Scarlet, where are you? I'm outside the hospital, a nurse just told me that you left earlier today without telling anyone! Are you seriously that stupid?!" John shouted into the phone. I didn't say anything, I was surrounded by other spirits and things that looked like they were ready to kill me. Dropping the phone I gripped my rosary tightly and began to pray "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in the day of battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and the snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou O Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

Most of them disappeared and the ones who remained, backed away, but the original shapeshifter remained. It lunged at me and threw me against the wall before it shifted into Mary, and wrapped her hands around my neck pressing me into the wall.

"You're dead!" it sneered before it threw me out onto the street. A truck had just barely dodge me as I gasped and sputtered for air. I was lifted and tried to pray but my voice came out in a series of croaks that didn't form a language. My feet left the ground and I was thrown again, but this time I was thrown into the building. Colliding and collapsing a wall I felt the whole building shift under the impact. I grunted as I crumpled to the floor, feeling the air around me get colder and making me shiver.

"You're dead!" it growled again, but this time it stopped in front of me and pressed it's hand to my forehead. I screamed as I felt an intense pain pulse through my brain, my mind went numb, same with my body, and everything became blurry.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 16**

When my mind began to clear I heard chains dragging against the concrete flooring, the same flooring my face rested against. I tried to move but I jolted in immense pain as I felt it course through my body as I tried to moved. Letting out a out shriek, I was lifted by someone off the ground. Looking up I saw Mary, more like the shifter in Mary's form, and tried to get away. My body refused to follow my commands and seemingly fought against my attempts to get away from the shifter. It pushed me against the wall, holding it's hand firmly on my throat cutting off my air supply. I began to see dots floating in front of my eyes and everything around me seemed to slow down. My body felt heavy, and my limbs became hard to move. The shifters grip tightened so it's uncut fingernails dug deep into my skin, then it let go allowing me to slide down the wall, sputtering for air that was desperately needed.

I felt it's hands trace down my arms, flinching as it changed its face from Mary's to Eugene's, it's strength doubling as it did. I screamed as it began to scratch my arms deeply, drawing blood. the crimson drops slowly slide from the scratches and down my arms, creating deadly designs. It's hands then moved back to my face, gripping my chin tightly and forcing me to look at it. I began to feel dizzy as I looked into it's eyes, the pain so unbearable forcing me to hope for death.

"You should have died the first time." It whispered in my ear, "It wouldn't have hurt as much."

I tried to move away from it's grasp, but it still held my face firmly. One hand travelled down the other arm, scratching it, like he had the first. I let a final scream out before it grabbed my neck and began to squeeze. Clawing at the hand, I tried to escape the tight grasp but it only became tighter. My vision started to darken, when I heard a vehicle pull up outside of the building.

Right as my vision went black I heard two familiar voices shouting at me. John was reciting his prayer and Naru was running towards me, his feet falling loudly. Feeling the weight lifted off neck, I sputtered for breath that filled my lungs. I rolled over onto my stomach and tried to get them away, but Naru was already beside me and John was running at me. I rolled back onto my back trying to catch my breath still, the world spun making me dizzy and nauseous, I jumped as I was lifted from the ground and carried out of the building.

"Scarlet, What were you thinking!" John shouted. "Really what was going through that thick skull of yours. You could have been dead if we hadn't found you when we did."

"I had a lead! I could have found him,John! You don't understand how it felt to have at least an idea of where he might have been! Now I'm back to nothing, I have nothing left. For the amount of good I'm doing right now I might as well not look for him!" I lost it. tears stung my eyes as I jumped from Naru's arms and tried to walk away from the pair. I stumbled and fell, my knees scraping against the unforgiving pavement. Letting the tears fall I grew angrier and angrier, believing that I was useless in all ways at that moment.

The pair of boys stood stunned and stared at me, I could feel their gaze as it remained steady on my shaking form. I felt someone touch me, turning to find that neither of the boys had moved. **Scarlet, calm down. You aren't useless, you know that as well as I. Everyone knows it so stop thinking it. Now snap out of it, John been trying to get you attention for the last five minutes.**

_**Wait! How do I find you.**_ I mentally and, physically jumping up. I stood waiting for a reply but nothing came. My eyes began to focus on what was in front of them revealing John and Naru both looking at me confused and worried.

"How do I find you?" I muttered, as I began to walk back into the building. There had to be something I was missing, something that could point me in the right direction I thought as I reached for the door, only to have my hand pulled back and my body grabbed and pulled into a pair of muscular arms. Looking up I growled when I saw a straight faced Naru looking down at me. "What are you doing?"

"I'm stopping you from going back in the building. Are you really that dumb?" He said. Looking him in the eye I glared at him and tried to break out of his grasp. John was now standing in between me and the door, blocking it. I finally gave up and stopped trying to get away.

"Why would you want to go back in there. You almost died, not even an hour ago and whatever's in there doesn't seem like it wants to be bothered." John asked, grabbing the front of my arms gently drawing my attention to his words. I hissed in pain as he touched my scratches.

"I missed something and I need to find out what. I'm going home since you won't let me look." I said pulling my arms free from his loose grip and walking towards my car. It had been dented and scratched, the creatures that haunted me obviously didn't want me to leave. Then I noticed the smell, looking towards the ground I found that the engine was leaking some type of fluid, and my suspicions were confirmed when I lifted the hood to find a hose cut and my battery gone. "Great, just great."

"What happened?" John said coming up behind me. "Oh, I can give you a lift back to your house. We'll call someone to tow it back to a shop later."

"Thanks." I said as we all piled into John's small car. With John in the drivers and Naru in the back, to much of his dismay, the drive was short and sweet and we were home in minutes. Both men walked me into the house, following closely behind me, they continued to do this as I walked through the house, gathering things that I would need for later. I walked into base intending to close the door behind me when I noticed that the pair hadn't left.

"Why, may I ask, are you still here?" I said as I gathered the first aid kit and sat down in the rolly chair. I began to pull out the alcohol wipes and gauze when someone pulled them from my hands. I looked up and made eye contact with Naru for a brief second before he looked back to my arms, cleaning and wrapping them up. I looked to John but he seemed as shocked as I was about what was happening and he knew him better than I did. "You still haven't answered my question?"

"Do you really think I'm going to leave you here alone after you pulled a stunt like that? Geeze Scarlet, you had me scare to death. I don't plan on leaving you alone again, at least until we get rid of whatever's attacking you." John said as he moved towards me. He bent down and hugged me as he did, I instantly relaxed into his grip, hugging back equally as tight.

"I'm sorry again. I didn't think it was going to happen like that. I really wasn't thinking straight." I replied, pulling out of the hug. I then turned to Naru who had moved to the other side of the desk, looking at him expectantly. "What about you?"

"I'm continuing the case. You don't have to get involved but I would appreciate the help you can give me." He replied, "I was intending on staying here, and working along side you in your investigation." I shifted awkwardly then I felt my hands begin to shake again looking down at them, I closed them only to feel my fist begin to shake. My legs began to lose their strength and I started to fall to the ground. I dropped to my knees, as I realized just how close to death I was a short while ago. I began to breath heavily, beginning to panic and freak out. Sitting there I began to work through what had happened to me slowly.

First I freaked out at Naru for being in my house while I was in the hospital, next I drove off to the warehouse. I was then attacked by the shapeshifter and almost killed. Almost killed. I had almost died not even a hour ago. I felt my throat constrict as I thought this through, my breathing getting heavier and more frequent as I thought. Looking around, John sat in front of me looking slightly panicked and Naru was blanked faced as usual but scrambling for the first aid kit for some reason.

Jolting back to reality, I tried to stand like nothing had happened but there was no luck. I grabbed the desk as my legs began to shake and feel weak again. John rushes over to me, placing one arm on my back and the other under my knees lifting me with ease.

"What are you doing? I'm fine, put me down." I said, as he began to walk out the door and down the hall.

"You aren't fine. Stop telling me any different. Now stay here and rest, you're exhausted and still recovering." John said as he placed me on my parents bed, covering me with the thick duvet. I nodded and watched as he closed the door behind him. I finally let sleep seep into my bones and numb my mind. Closing my eyes I welcomed the darkness with open arms, knowing that I was safe. I wished that would stop the dreams, my night was spent waking up frequently, only to fall back asleep. As the sun began to rise I gave up on all attempts of getting anymore rest and rolled out of bed.

I stumbled blindly into the bathroom and stripped off my clothes and bandages, turning the shower on hot. The hot water scalded my skin but I didn't bother adjusting it I was too tired. The water seemed to wake me up slightly and I growled at it when I was shocked with a stream of cold water. Jumping from the shower, I quickly wrapped the towel around my body, turning the tap off in the process. I walked back out into the bedroom when I realized that I had nothing clean to wear. It took seconds to devise a plan that should prevent John or Naru, from seeing me in the towel and put it into action. I snuck out into the hallway and sprinted towards the stairs, if luck had been on my side I would have made it, but sadly it wasn't.

As I rounded the corner I collided with a tall black figure, sending me tumbling to the floor letting out a short squeal as I fell. Clutching the towel closer to my body I looked up at the figure, Shit, I jumped up, only to slip again. Giving up I just sat on the ground looking up at him, then much to my embarrassment I noticed John was standing close behind him, blushing bright red. I felt my cheeks heating up, I slowly regain my calm and attempted to get up from the floor for a third time.

That's when I noticed that both boys were still staring at me, John, was looking me directly in the eye to avoid looking anywhere else, but Naru on the other hand was just staring openly at me. Feeling my cheeks get even warmer I ran up the stairs and into my room, only realizing when I entered, just how small the towel was and how little it was covering. I mean I wasn't showing too much but it hung at about mid thigh on the bottom and was covering my chest as much as it could without revealing too much out the bottom. I blushed again when I thought about how much the pair did see.

Throwing on a pair of dark skinny jeans and a plain dark red fitted tee shirt, I stared at myself in the mirror. There was a nasty bruise wrapped around my neck that form the shape of hands, and my arms showed deep scratches. After staring at the scratches for a couple minutes I looked closer to find they spelt words, though small and almost unreadable, but most of all they were in a different language

Running down the stairs, I ploughed passed Naru, and grabbed my laptop. I examined my arm and made out a few words that made sense to me, they were small and insignificant, but one word stood out immediately , Eugene. I growled when I realized that was the only word I could read, pushing the laptop off my legs and onto the couch beside me. Looking down again to examine my arms I cursed and swore at myself for not being able to figure out what it read. Continuing to mutter I picked up to laptop once again and looked for any history that could have lead Eugene to the warehouse.

After searching for a good half hour or so my stomach growled, signaling that I needed to eat. I walked to the kitchen and made a sandwich with what few items were still in the fridge, hearing the door open and close I walked out into the hall with the sandwich in my mouth. Quickly swallowing the large bite I had just taken from it, when I saw the rest of SPR standing in the doorway. I must have swallowed too quickly because I started to choke, coughing I bent over hoping to get the piece of food free, when I felt a swift hard pat on the center of my back and knocking the piece of food free.

Looking through teary eyes I looked up to see Takigawa, I muttered a thanks before turning on my heel and running back to my base. Upon opening the door, I spotted Naru and John both conversing about something quite loudly. Closing the door behind me loud enough for both of them to hear me enter, they stopped their conversation. "Why is everyone else here?"

"I asked them to come." Naru said.

"Oh did you? What gave you the idea you could invite them here?" I asked sickenly sweet.

"Well I'm working the case and they are helping me."

"Look you're lucky I'm letting you stay here and help, I'd rather you'd just leave me to my investigation but since John has made it painfully clear that's not going to happen. Everything you decide to do, goes through me. I'm the boss and you have no say in the matter, you're team can stay but they won't get involved directly, understand?" My tone was low and threatening, John was shaking slightly and Naru eyes shifted looking around anywhere but me, seemingly to avoid my glare. "If I find out you've done anything without my go, I will make sure you don't again."

"Fine." He said, I turned and walked back out to the stunned group of people who were still standing in the entryway. My face didn't portray a hint of anger or malice that I felt at the moment, I wanted to skewer Naru.

"Please come in, it's nice to see you all. I'm assuming Naru called you." The group nodded, Mai looked up at me and spotted the bruise around my neck, "Scarlet what happened to you neck, is the ghost back."

"I'm fine Mai, I've just had a rough couple days. No the ghost isn't back, by the way. Did he tell you why he called you here."

"No, he said it was important though." Mai said, she seemed worried about why they were called. She was obviously smitten for Naru, but I wasn't sure if she knew it yet herself.

"Well he's in base at the moment so please follow me." I replied the group followed silently behind me, they seemed slightly awkward and uncomfortable. Opening the door I let them pass me before closing it after everyone had entered.


End file.
